DRAGONS QUALIFY FOR NJCAA, REPEAT REGION TITLE; CROCKETT REPEATS

Harry Crockett wins the NJCAA District III/Region VI Tournament by two strokes on Tuesday at Lochland Country Club in Hastings. Nebraska. (Steve Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

April 26, 2022

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

HASTINGS, Nebraska – The No. 3-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's golf team will have an opportunity to defend its 2021 NJCAA national championship.

The Blue Dragons finished second in the NJCAA District III (Central District)/Region VI Championship on Tuesday at Lochland Country Club to qualify for the NJCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship for the 21st consecutive season and for the 24th time in program history.

The Blue Dragons won their third-straight Region VI team championship and sophomore Harry Crockett became the first Blue Dragon player to win back-to-back District titles and was the second to repeat as Region VI individual champion.

Hutchinson will now play in the 2022 NJCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship on May 10-13 at the Odessa Country Club in Odessa, Texas.

Leading by a single stroke after 36 holes, the Blue Dragons posted a 300 team score in Tuesday's final round – the Dragons counted scores of 72 from Ben Partridge, 73 from Crockett 73, 77 from Blake Saffell and 78 from Addison Alonzo.

The Blue Dragons finished at 889 (+25). No. 9-ranked Iowa Western shot 291 on Tuesday and defeated the Blue Dragons by seven strokes for the District at 882.

Iowa Western, Hutchinson, Indian Hills, Dodge City and Garden City are the five teams to qualify for nationals from the Central District.

The Blue Dragons won their third-straight Region VI title and 21st in program history with an 11-stroke victory over Dodge City. Both Dodge City and Garden City posted team scores of 303 on Tuesday. The Conquistadors closed at 893 and Broncbusters at 898.

This is the third time the Blue Dragons have won three-straight Region VI team championships. Hutchinson also three-peated in the region in 1993-95 and 2007-09.

Hutchinson finished as a district team runner-up for the fourth time in program history (1998, 2014 and 2019).

Crockett repeated as both the District and Region VI individual champion with a two-stroke victory over Indian Hills' Fran Vucic. Crockett shot 1-over 73 on Tuesday and finished at even-par 216 to win his second-straight tournament.

Crockett is the fourth Blue Dragon to win the District and the 10th Blue Dragon to win a Region VI individual championship. Crockett joins Alex Wasinger (2007 and 2008) as Blue Dragons to repeat as a regional champion.

Crockett is also the third-straight Blue Dragons to win both the District and Regional championships. Crockett's brother, Charlie, won both titles in 2019. The 2020 season was canceled because of the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Crockett and Partridge both earned All-District and All-Region first-team honors with Top 5 finishes on Tuesday.

Partridge shot 72 on Tuesday to finish fifth at 4-over 220. Saffell tied for 12th at 9-over 225. Alonzo tied for 21st at 12-over 228. Dominic Clemons shot 82 on Tuesday and finished 36th at 243.