DRAGONS EARN KJCCC ROAD WIN AT HIGHLAND

The Blue Dragon defense swarms a Highland ball carrier during Hutchinson's 20-7 win over the Scotties on Saturday at Highland. (Photo courtesy Billy Watson/The Hutchinson News)
The Blue Dragon defense swarms a Highland ball carrier during Hutchinson's 20-7 win over the Scotties on Saturday at Highland. (Photo courtesy Billy Watson/The Hutchinson News)

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

HIGHLAND, Kan. – Anwar Lewis rushed for better than 100 yards for the fourth-straight game and Dashon Singleton had two huge interceptions to carry the Hutchinson Community College football team to a Jayhawk Conference road victory Saturday.

The Blue Dragons snapped a three-game losing streak at Porter Family Stadium with a 20-7 victory over the Highland Scotties.

Hutchinson improved to 3-3 overall and in the Jayhawk West with the victory heading into next week's final regular-season game at Dodge City. Highland lost its fifth game in a row and is now 1-5 overall and in league play.

Lewis became the first Blue Dragon running back with four consecutive 100-yard games since Dezmon Jackson had five in a row in 2018. Lewis ran for 172 yard on 24 carries and had a 38-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that gave the Blue Dragons a 20-0 lead.

Now with 1,363 career rushing yards, Lewis jumped six spots on the Blue Dragon career rushing list to 13th. Lewis has 824 yards for the season and 667 yards over his last four games. Lewis has also rushed for a touchdown for the fifth consecutive game.

With the Blue Dragons leading 13-0 late in the second quarter, Highland was at the Dragon 2. After an offensive pass interference call took a touchdown off the board, Singleton ended the Scotty threat with an interception in the end zone that helped the Dragons maintain their 13-point lead. Singleton also had a third-quarter interception to thwart another Highland advance.

The Blue Dragons outgained Highland 317-248. Hutchinson had 180 rushing yards and 137 yards through the air.

Quarterback Dylan Laible completed 13 of 26 passes for 137 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Laible is now tied for 10th on the Blue Dragon career touchdown pass list with Mark Wright (2019) and Brian Shaw (1986-87) with 20 career touchdown passes.

Russell Wilkey had four receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown. Malik Benson made three catches for 25 yards and a touchdown. Cortez Braham made two catches for 26 yards, moving him into 11th place on the Blue Dragon career receiving yards' list with 964 yards.

Defensively, the Blue Dragons accumulated 11 quarterback sacks, the most sacks in a game since racking up 10 against Highland last season in Gowans Stadium. Nadame Tucker had 2.5 quarterback sacks to lead the Dragons. Davion Westmoreland had two sacks as 10 different Blue Dragons were in on a sack.

Westmoreland and R.J. Evans had nine tackles each to lead the Blue Dragons. Westmoreland had three of Hutchinson's season-high tackles for loss.

Highland quarterback Ken Gay II was 16 of 31 passing for 204 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Receiver Deontay Campbell had five catches for 151 yards and a touchdown. Andrew Burnette had 52 rushing yards to lead the Scotties.

The Blue Dragons took a 6-0 lead with 8:22 to play in the first quarter on a Wilkey 7-yard touchdown reception from Laible that capped a 10-play, 80-yard scoring mark. The point-after kick was no good.

The Dragons made it 13-0 with 2:48 remaining in the second quarter. Benson hauled in an 8-yard touchdown pass from Laible and the Dragons built a 13-0 lead.

After a scoreless third quarter, Lewis' 38-yard touchdown run gave Hutchinson a 20-0 lead 7:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. Highland got on the board when Campbell hauled in a 56-yard touchdown pass with 6:35 to go in the game.

In addition to Singleton's interception in the end zone late in the first half, the Blue Dragons held Highland on downs after the Scotties had the ball on the Hutchinson 5-yard line with 47 seconds left to play in the third quarter.

GAME NOTES – Hutchinson head coach Drew Dallas tied Sam Pittman for 10th on the Blue Dragon coaching wins' list with 11. … The Dragons are now 35-5 all-time against Highland, including 13-5 at Highland.