Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Quarterback Samari Collier threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more to lift the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College football team to a 27-18 Jayhawk Conference victory over the Garden City Broncbusters on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.
The Blue Dragons start a season 7-0 for the eighth time in program history. The Dragons are 4-0 in the Jayhawk Conference. Hutchinson travels to play Highland at Noon next Saturday at Porter Family Stadium in Highland. Garden City fell to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in the KJCCC.
Hutchinson has won five games in a row over Garden City, 12 games in a row at Gowans Stadium, 16 consecutive KJCCC games and 20 consecutive games over Jayhawk Conference teams, which include postseason matchups.
The Blue Dragons jumped out to a 20-0 lead after a Collier 33-yard touchdown pass to Zeriah Beason early in the second quarter. Garden City scored with 1:13 to play and then scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 2-minute, 31-second span to pull within 29-18 with 7:28 to play.
Hutchinson, which had to overcome a season-high four turnovers, including three in the red zone, made it a two-possession game just 1:53 later when Collier and Beason hooked up for a 29-yard touchdown pass, which gave the Dragons a 27-18 lead with 5:35 to play in the game.
Collier completed 11 of 19 passes for a season-high 199 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was also Hutchinson's leading rusher with 67 yards on 13 carries and a season-high two touchdowns.
Beason tied a season high with five receptions for season highs of 91 yards and two touchdowns. Tre Richardson had two catches for 85 yards. Oran Singleton had two receptions for 23 yards.
Tyrell Reed Jr. had 58 rushing yards on 11 carries. Brandon Epton Jr. had 34 yards on 11 carries.
The Blue Dragons had 337 total yards (139 rushing, 199 passing). The Dragons held Garden City to 234 total yards, allowing 222 yards through the air and 23 rushing yards
K'Von Sherman and Daniel Brown led the Blue Dragon defense with eight tackles each. Walter Bob Jr., had seven tackles. Brown raised his NJCAA-leading sack total to 13 with three sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.
The Blue Dragons tied a season high with seven quarterback sacks.
Nylen Jones and Ryan Nolan both had interceptions and Korbyn Green Jr. had a fumble recovery.
After forcing a 3-and-out to start the game, the Blue Dragons marked 61 yards in five plays and took a 7-0 lead on a Collier 4-yard touchdown run with 12:01 to play in the opening quarter. Garden City had a bad punt snap recovered by Green on the Buster 1 on the next Garden City possession. Two plays later, Collier had a 3-yards rushing touchdown. After the point-after snap was mishandled, the Blue Dragons led 13-0 with 9:46 to play in the first quarter.
The Blue Dragons made it 20-0 when Beason caught a 33-yard touchdown strike from Collier with 9:28 to play in the second quarter. Garden City picked off a Collier pass later in the period and drove 92 yards in eight plays and scored when Keyshawn Buckley caught a 40-yard touchdown pass with 1:13 to play. The try for 2 points missed and the Dragons led 20-6 at halftime.
After a scoreless third quarter, Garden City made it a two-point game.
Garden City converted on fourth-and-goal when Alexander Lines caught a 2-yard touchdown pass. The PAT was missed and Hutchinson led 20-12 with 10:09 to play. After Hutchinson's fourth turnover of the game, a fumble recovered by the Busters at the Hutchinson 27, Ajou caught a 28-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-11 with 7:28 to go. The Busters went for two again and missed and the Dragons led 20-18.
The Blue Dragons answered after a Richardson 40-yard kickoff return to the Garden City 49. The Dragons needed only four plays to cover that distance, getting a Beason 29-yard touchdown pass from Collier with 5:35 to play in the game for a 27-18 Hutchinson lead.
Garden City, which was 3 of 6 on fourth down, was held on downs at the Buster 44 with 1:45 to play.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 43-40 all-time against Garden City, including 20-17 at Gowans Stadium. … Blue Dragon head coach Drew Dallas is now 35-5 at Hutchinson. … This was the sixth time the Blue Dragons have had 300 or more total yards this season. … The Dragons were 2 of 5 in the red zone against Garden City. … Ryan Nolan had his fourth interception of the season. … The Blue Dragons have started 8-0 in 1947, 1948, 1969, 2010, 2014, 2020-21 and 2022.