Hutchinson CC Sports Information
GARDEN CITY – For the second-straight season, the Hutchinson Community College football team's dream of an undisputed Jayhawk Conference championship was dashed by the Garden City Broncbusters.
One year ago, the Busters scored with 18 seconds left to defeat the Blue Dragons at Gowans Stadium. On Saturday in Garden City, the No. 5 Broncbuster kicker Andre Aires booted a 40-yard field goal with 14 seconds left to stun the No. 4 Blue Dragons 20-19.
Both Hutchinson and Garden City are 8-2 overall. The Blue Dragons complete their Jayhawk Conference season at 5-2. The Broncbusters take over first place in the league at 5-1. Garden City still travels to Butler next Saturday, while the Blue Dragons close the regular season with a noon kickoff at Iowa Central.
Saturday's matchup included five lead changes, three coming in the fourth quarter alone.
Garden City took a 17-13 lead one play after a Mark Wright interception was returned to the Blue Dragon 25. Ramon Jefferson scored on the next play to give Garden City a four-point lead with 10:01 to play in the fourth quarter.
After forcing a Nolan Arrington punt to the Garden City 13, the Busters ran off six plays that ate 4 minutes, 11 seconds off the clock, the Buster punt traveled only 47 yards that Markies Colvin returned to the Garden 30. It took three plays to cover the distance with Tiyon Evans running in from 11 yards out with 4:04 to play. Hutch's point-after try was blocked and the Dragons led 19-17.
The teams traded punts and the Busters started its potential game-winning drive at its own 15 with 2:01 to play. Garden City converted two fourth downs and drove to the Hutch 23 to set up Aries' game-winning 40-yard field goal.
The Busters squibbed the ensuing kickoff to the Hutch 37. Evans worked his way up the field and ripped off a 29-yard return, going out-of-bounds at the Buster 34 on the game's final play.
The Blue Dragons survived a fumble on the opening kickoff as Aries missed the first of two missed field goals in the first quarter. Two possessions later, Kobe Oldfield blocked an Aries' punt and Jonathan White returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. The PAT missed and Hutch led 6-0.
Garden City scored 10 points in a span of 1 minute, 29 seconds in the second quarter on an Aries' 33-yard field goal and Jadon Hayes 17-yard run to take its first lead of 10-6 with 11:31 to play.
The Blue Dragons regained the lead late in the second quarter when Erin Collins capped a six-play, 40-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown for a 13-10 lead
Hutchinson's offense struggled to a season-low 179 total yards, getting only 29 passing yards and 150 rushing yards. Garden City had just 238 total yards (117 rushing, 121 passing).
Evans finished the game with 70 yards rushing on 11 carries. Collins had 15 carries for 56 yards. Both scored touchdowns.
Wright was just 4 of 13 passing for 29 yards and two interceptions.
Defensively, Latrell Bankston had 13 total tackles with four tackles for loss and half a quarterback sack. Gereme Spraggins had 11 tackles and Jurriente Davis had 10 tackles.
Hutchinson had three turnovers that led to 14 Garden City points.