DRAGON DEFENSE STEPS UP IN WIN OVER COFFEYVILLE

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

COFFEYVILLE – The No. 4-ranked Hutchinson Community College football team matched its best start to a season since 2014 with a dominant defensive performance on Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Coffeyville.

The Blue Dragon defense helped overcome offensive season lows in passing and first downs to defeat the Red Ravens 24-14 and remain unbeaten in the Jayhawk Conference at 5-0.

Now 7-1 overall, the Blue Dragons have won five consecutive games, three-straight over Coffeyville and 10 of the last 11 meetings against the Red Ravens. Coffeyville dropped its fourth in a row and is now 2-5 overall and 1-4 in the league.

Hutchinson's defense tallied a season-high nine quarterback sacks and had two interceptions with one returned for a touchdown against Coffeyville. The Blue Dragons held Coffeyville 132 total yards under its 350.5 yard-per-game average. The Dragons limited the Red Ravens to 1 of 18 on third-down conversions and just 1 of 4 in red zone opportunities.

Jahmard Morgan had a career-best 12 tackles to lead the stellar defensive effort. Caliph Brice had 10 tackles and a sack.

Monty Montgomery had three quarterback sacks and four total tackles overall. He had a huge play late in the second quarter with the Blue Dragons up 14-7. Montgomery intercepted a Coffeyville pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 lead. Art Green also had a second-quarter interception.

Hutchinson's defense overcame a sluggish offensive night that included a season-low 88 passing yards and only 10 first downs. The Blue Dragons also had three turnovers, including two special teams fumbles.

The Blue Dragons did have some big offensive moments on Saturday.

On Hutch's second possession of the game Dezmon Jackson's first touch of the game went for a 90-yard touchdown run round left end. Jackson's run tied three others for the second-longest run from scrimmage in Blue Dragon history. With the game tied at 7 in the second quarter, Jackson broke loose round the left side again, this time going the distance from 34 yards out for a 14-7 Hutch lead with 6:12 to play in the second quarter.

Jackson finished the night with 153 yards on just 10 carries and two touchdowns. Drake Bolus had 37 yards on 10 carries and Andrew Lee had six touches for 29 yards.

Freshman quarterback Mason Schmucker had a tough night going 10 of 22 passing for a season-low 88 yards and an interception.

Hutch led 7-0 after one quarter and watched Coffeyville tie the game midway through the second period. After a punt from the end zone was fielded at the Dragon 39, the Red Ravens marched that distance in seven plays, tying the game at 7 on a Marco Lee 1-yard touchdown with 7:37 to play in the period.

The Blue Dragons immediately answered with a short scoring drive that was set up by Bolus' 42-yard kickoff return to the Raven 40. Three plays later, Jackson broke around the left side for a 34-yard TD and a 14-7 Hutch lead with 6:12 to play in the first half.

With the Dragons pressuring Coffeyville quarterback Carson Proctor all night – Proctor was 8 of 28 for 88 yards – more pressure led to him scrambling and throwing a shovel pass that was picked off by Montgomery 25 yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 Dragon lead with 50.2 seconds to play in the half. Art Green had another interception a few seconds later.

The Dragons scored only three points in the second half, a 31-yard field goal from Sebastian Garcia to lead 24-7 with 4:46 to play in the third.

Coffeyville took advantage of only one big Blue Dragon defensive miscue. Proctor completed a pass to Etorius Giles for a 34-yard touchdown pass with 8:44 to play in the game on fourth-and-5 to cut the Dragon lead to 24-14.

Hutchinson continues its road trip next Saturday with a 1 p.m. kickoff at Dodge City

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are 28-55-4 all-time vs. Coffeyville. … The nine quarterback sacks are the most in a game since 10 sacks against Garden City in 2015. … The last Blue Dragon to break a run of 90 yards in a game since Dezmon Jackson is Deveon Dinwiddie, who went 90 yards in 2011. … The Blue Dragons had their second interception for touchdown this season. … The Blue Dragons were playing without head coach Rion Rhoades, who was serving a one-game suspension after being ejected last Saturday against Highland.