FORT SCOTT, Kan. — Join Glen Grunwald, Steve Carpenter and Daren Dunn as the Blue Dragons (4-5) prepare for the Greyhounds (4-5).
HCC is in the middle of a three-game losing streak and needs to win the final two games of the season to gain bowl eligibility.
Fort Scott also needs to win out if it hopes to be bowl eligible.
Listen in as the guys prepare you for the 7 p.m. kick.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Blue Dragons are in the middle of a three-game losing streak and need to win the last two games of the season to ensure bowl eligibility.
Fort Scott is in the same boat. Saturday night’s game in Fort Scott is critical for both teams.
Daren Dunn of Eagle Sports caught up with Curtis Horton of the Greyhounds for a glimpse at this weekend’s action.
[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]
[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]
Photo courtesy of Jesse Brothers, HCC Sports Information
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Brenna McClure was tired of watching from the bench last season.
The Hutchinson Community College redshirt freshman from Lyons had to sit out the Blue Dragons’ 2015-16 Jayhawk Conference championship season because of an injury. Wednesday’s 2016-17 Opening Night against the Tabor College Junior Varsity was McClure’s first opportunity to play in a real game for the first time in 18 months.
McClure made her first game as a Blue Dragon memorable.
The Blue Dragon guard broke the Blue Dragon women’s basketball single-game record for steals with 11 and nearly posted a triple-double in No. 9 Hutchinson’s 107-40 victory over the Lady Jays. The Blue Dragons won their 16th of the last 17 season openers.
McClure finished the game with nine points, eight assists and a record 11 steals, topping teammate Inja Butina’s mark she set last season. McClure was 3 of 6 shooting with one 3-point goal.
The 107 points scored was the fifth most in Blue Dragon history. The Blue Dragons shot 60 percent or better for the fifth time in team history shooting 60.9 percent, the fifth-best on that stat list. The Dragons totaled 25 steals, which tied for the fourth most in a game.
Six players scored in double figures and all 12 Blue Dragons to suit up scored.
Freshman Alicia Brown had her own impressive Blue Dragon debut with a game-high 15 points on 7 of 8 shooting with four steals.
Sophomore Lakin Preisner hit three 3-point goals and shot 5 of 6 overall to finish with 14 points. Sophomore Taylor Stahly knocked down three treys and had 13 points. Freshman Kayla Barber came off the bench to score 12. Sophomores Shayla DeGarmo and Bride Kennedy-Hopoate had 11 points each.
McClure and Butina had eight assists each. This was Butina’s 13th career game of eight or more assists.
Hutchinson shot 42 of 69 overall from the field, knocking down 9 of 16 from 3-point range and 14 of 26 from the free-throw line. The Blue Dragons out-rebounded Tabor 43-22. Kennedy-Hopoate had a team-high seven rebounds.
After a good start – the Lady Jays led 10-8 and trailed only 15-13 with 1:50 to play in the period – Tabor finished the game shooting 13 of 43, 7 of 37 over the final three quarters. The Lady Jays were 2 of 13 from 3-point range and 12 of 19 from the foul line. Hutchinson forced 34 turnovers that led to 42 Blue Dragon points.
Sierra Sanchez had 10 points and six rebounds to lead Tabor.
Leading 23-17 just 47 seconds into the second quarter, Brown’s field goal with 8:48 in the period sparked a decisive 31-1 run. Kirea Rogers scored with 1:28 to play in the quarter to cap the run and Hutch led at that point 54-18.
Hutchinson outscored Tabor 36-7 in the second quarter. The Dragons hit 15 of 20 shots in the period. Over the middle two quarters, Hutch owned a 66-18 advantage, making 26 of 35 (74.3 percent) over those two quarters.
The Blue Dragons will be off until Tuesday when Lamar Community College comes to the Sports Arena for a 5:30 p.m. game.
[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]
[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]
Photo courtesy of Joel Powers, HCC Sports Information
HILLSBORO, Kan. — The No. 6-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team won its ninth consecutive season opener as the Blue Dragons broke the game open with a surge in the final 10 minutes of the first half on Tuesday night.
Five Blue Dragons scored in double figures as the Blue Dragons overcame 12 Tabor College Junior Varsity 3-pointers in a 91-63 victory over the Bluejays in Hutchinson’s first-ever game played in Hillsboro.
The victory the 197th on the Hutchinson bench for eighth-year head coach Steve Eck, who is just three wins shy of moving past Gary Bargen into second place on the Blue Dragon career coaching list.
Tied at 16-all with 11:31 to play in the first half, James Conley converted a three-point play to give the Blue Dragons the lead for good. The lead reached 10 for the first time on a J.J. Rhymes’ 3-pointer with 4:46 to play as Hutch led 34-24. Hutchinson outscored Tabor 33-17 over the final 11 1/2 minutes of the half to lead 49-33 at intermission.
Sophomore guards Conley and Samajae Haynes-Jones scored 16 points lead to lead the Blue Dragons on Tuesday night.
Conley hit 7 of 10 shots from the field. Haynes-Jones was 5 of 10 shooting, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range. He also had five rebounds.
Devonte Bandoo had a terrific Blue Dragon debut with 15 points, two assists and two steals. Rhymes finished with 12 points. Sophomore Shakur Juiston had 11 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
The Blue Dragons knocked down 36 of 79 overall shots (45.6 percent), hitting 5 of 15 from 3-point range and 14 of 19 from the free-throw line. The Blue Dragons out-rebounded the Bluejays 52-39 with 21 offensive rebounds.
Nick Lee hit 5 of 13 3-pointers to lead Tabor with a game-high 22 points. Diontre Cutliff had 12 points and seven boards.
Tabor shot 23 of 70 overall, cooling off to 27.5 percent in the second half after shooting 40 percent in the opening 20 minutes. Tabor sank 12 of 34 3-point goals and was 5 of 8 from the free throw line.
After a Juiston field goal just 48 seconds into the second half, Hutchinson led 53-33. Tabor hit four 3-point goals in the next 3 minutes and pulled within 55-47 with 16:06 left after a Lee trey. The Blue Dragons regained control with an 11-0 run over the next 3 minutes as Hutchinson built a 66-47 lead after a Haynes-Jones trey with 13:02 remaining in the second half.
The Blue Dragons will open at home on Friday night when Hutchinson faces Frank Phillips College at 7:30 p.m. at the Sports Arena. Tabor will play NEO at 5:30 p.m. at the Arena. On Saturday, Hutchinson plays NEO at 7:30 p.m. and Tabor plays Frank Phillips at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The YMCA was at Gowans Stadium for the annual Super Bowl Sunday when a robbery took place.
A gatekeeper was approached by a white male in a Salthawk hoodie with the number “22.”
The man asked the ticket taker if he had seen a female and pointed in the direction she might be.
When the gatekeeper turned to look, the suspect grabbed his blue bank bag full of cash and took off running. It is uncertain if the suspect still has the money bag in his possession.
The male, said to be in his 40s and of slender build, made off with an undetermined amount of cash.
The hoodie was gray and the man is possibly 6 feet in stature. He also had some facial hair around his cheeks and chin.
If you have any information about this man, please contact the local authorities, or comment below.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Despite building a 12-0 advantage and leading 18-7 at halftime, the Blue Dragons (4-5) lost to Independence (3-4) in Gowans on Saturday.
Tre Griffin started the scoring in the first quarter on a 4-yard run.
Griffin finished the day with 112 yards rushing.
Luke Niemeyer hit a 26-yard field goal later in the first to extend the Blue Dragon lead.
That FG was one of three makes for Niemeyer on the day. He finished the day 3 for 4 with a long of 40.
J.J. Holmes recorded the fourth safety for HCC’s defense this season with two minutes left in the first quarter when he trapped Darrell Hickman in the end zone.
HCC led 12-0 heading into the second stanza.
Indy cut into that lead with a 14-yard TD pass from Jonathan Banks to Calvin Jackson.
Hutchinson would finish the first half with two more Luke Niemeyer field goals from 32 and 40 yards out, respectively.
Niemeyer’s only miss came from 28 yards away on a kick that barely left the ground.
HCC did not score in the second half.
Independence found pay dirt early in the third quarter on another 14-yard pass. This time, Leondre James was on the receiving end of an Alin Edouard pass.
Zavery Goodrich had his extra point blocked as Indy cut the HCC lead to 18-13.
The Blue Dragon defense would hold Independence on a critical 4th down in HCC territory, but Asher Goldston intercepted a Jonathan Banks’ pass on the 6 yard line. The turnover worked more like a punt, but ultimately didn’t hurt the Blue Dragons.
What did hurt the Blue Dragons was a muffed punt.
Three-time special teams player of the week Adrian Cross muffed a punt on the HCC 1 yard line. He tried to catch the punt while backing up against his own goal line.
Independence recovered the muff in prime position to score.
Jonathan Banks capitalized on the turnover with a short sneak.
Indy then completed a two-point conversion from Banks to Jackson.
With 6:09 left, Indy claimed a 21-18 lead.
The Blue Dragons had a chance to tie the game late, but failed on a fourth down conversion to get the necessary 4 yards.
The defense nearly got the ball back with limited time, but an unsportsmanlike penalty ended HCC’s chances of getting the ball back.
With one timeout left, Hutchinson could do nothing but watch Independence kneel the ball and run out the clock.
FINAL: Independence 21 HCC 18
The Blue Dragon defense only surrendered 93 yards on the ground and 98 yards in the air. It held the Pirates to 4 of 14 on third down conversions.
The Pirates were also 0 of 3 on fourth down. However, Indy scored on all three red zone attempts, while the Blue Dragons missed one opportunity out of four.
The Dragons fumbled the ball six times and lost it twice.
Cam Jones finished the day with 8-of-21 passing for 81 yards and no interceptions.
Gary Cross had another chance at a TD reception, but dropped the ball in the end zone.
HCC (4-5) is on the road at Fort Scott (4-4) next Saturday.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Join Glen Grunwald, Steve Carpenter and Daren Dunn for a preview of Blue Dragon football as HCC prepares for Independence.
Independence (2-4) had a bye last week, but won two weeks ago in dominating fashion over Highland 45-24.
HCC (4-4) ended up on the wrong end of a defensive battle at Butler.
HCC looks to snap a two-game losing streak, while Independence will be trying for its first two-game winning streak since 2013.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Jason Brown was hired in December last year after the Pirates won only two games. Independence went 0-10 the year before and has struggled over the last three seasons with four total wins.
Independence has two wins this season and is hoping to win out for a winning season. Brown has never experienced a losing season in his first year at any school.
HCC dropped another tough game last week in Butler. The Blue Dragons have lost four games by a total of 14 points.
Independence enters Gowans Stadium Saturday for a noon kickoff.
