NO. 1 DRAGONS DOWN NO. 9 BUTLER FOR 4TH TOP-10 WIN OF SEASON
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
EL DORADO – Christian Johnson and Kade Smith combined for three rushing touchdowns while the Blue Dragon defense and special teams made huge plays throughout the game as the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College football team earned its 12th-consecutive victory on Saturday night.
Top-ranked Hutchinson defeated No. 9 Butler 27-12 at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex for the Blue Dragons' fourth win over a Top-10 opponent this season.
The Blue Dragons improved to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the Jayhawk Conference. Hutchinson has its second season bye next Saturday before traveling to play Highland at 1 p.m. on November 15. Butler fell to 5-2 overall, 3-2 in the KJCCC.
In addition to the current 12-game winning streak, the Blue Dragons have won 24 consecutive true road games dating back to 2021.
Leading 6-0 after two Alejandro de la Poza field goals, the Grizzlies tied the game at 6-6 on a Nakai Poole 30-yard touchdown reception late in the second quarter. After the play, the Grizzlies were called for unsportsmanlike conduct and the Dragons chose to enforce the penalty on the extra point, which made it a 35-yard try. Blue Dragon defensive lineman Jeffrey Manns blocked the PAT attempt – Manns' third block of the season – to keep the game tied.
From that point in the game – the Butler touchdown came with 1:42 left in the first half – the Blue Dragons scored 21 unanswered points to break the game open.
Blue Dragon quarterback Christian Johnson threw for 156 yards and rushed for 68 more, including two touchdowns to lead the Dragons, who amassed 347 total yards (191 rushing, 156 passing). Johnson had touchdown runs of 7 and 1 yard.
The Blue Dragons also got a big boost from running back Kade Smith, who played in its first game of the season on Saturday. Smith rushed for a team-high 98 yards on 25 carries and a 5-yard touchdown
Receiver L.T. Robinson had a career-high four receptions for 63 yards against the Grizzlies. Derrick Salley Jr. had four receptions for 31 yards.
Butler had 161 rushing yards and 152 passing yards on Saturday.
Blue Dragon sophomore defensive back M.J. Graham had two interceptions to lead the Blue Dragon defense. Graham also had one tackle for loss and seven total tackles. Linebacker Teegan Haines had team-high nine tackles.
The Blue Dragon special teams also came up with two more blocked kicks to break a Hutchinson single-game record with nine special teams blocks this season. That broke the old record of eight set in 2004. In addition to Manns' blocked extra point, J'Lynn Allen blocked a Butler 31-yard field goal attempt, Allen's second blocked kick this season.
Hutchinson led 6-0 after de la Poza field goals of a season-long 46 yards with 10:40 left in the first quarter and 37 yards with 8:04 remaining in the second quarter.
Butler later held the Dragons on downs and went on a scoring march of 89 yards on 14 plays and Poole's 30-yard touchdown reception and Manns' blocked extra point tied the game at 6-6 with 1:42 to go in the second quarter.
The Blue Dragons immediately responded with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive, taking a 13-7 lead on Johnson's 7-yard touchdown run with 2 seconds remaining in the first half.
After Allen's blocked field goal in the third quarter, the Blue Dragons went on a nine-play, 80-yard scoring drive that was capped by Smith's first career touchdown, a run from 5-yards out for a 20-7 lead with 3:32 to go in the third quarter.
The Blue Dragons cashed in on Graham's second interception of the game, going 58 yards in six plays. Johnson finished off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown for a 27-6 lead.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are 8-0 to start a season for the eighth time in program history. … The Blue Dragons are now 51-50-1 all-time against Butler, including 27-28 in El Dorado. The Dragons have won four-straight games in El Dorado. … M.J. Graham has five interceptions for the season. … The Blue Dragons now have 16 team interceptions this season.