Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College football team goes after a fourth-consecutive Jayhawk Conference championship on Saturday.

In order to clinch the 11th overall league title, the Blue Dragons (8-0, 5-0 KJCCC) will travel to play the Independence Pirates (3-5, 1-3) at 1 p.m. at Emmot Field in Independence.

The game will be streamed live and free on the Blue Dragon Sports Network beginning at 12:30 p.m. with Countdown to Kickoff. The game will also be broadcast of Blue Dragon Flagship Station KHUT-FM (102.9) and sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5).

Hutchinson enters the game coming off two defensive struggles - a 27-18 victory over Garden City on October 21 and a 13-0 triumph at Highland last Saturday to run their Jayhawk Conference winning streak to 13 games in league designated games and 17 straight overall when postseason games are added.

The Blue Dragon defense didn't allow a point for the second time this season - Hutchinson beat Iowa Central 27-2 - liming the Scotties to 131 total yards. The Dragon defense had three takeaways, including two interceptions from Ryan Nolan.

The Pirates blitzed Ellsworth two weeks ago. The Pirates has season highs for points scored and threw for 252 of their 302 total-yardage output. Defensively, Independence held Ellsworth to four first downs and nine total yards of offense.

Hutchinson will be playing another top nationally ranked defense in the Pirates this season. Independence leads the KJCCC and is second in the NJCAA in rushing defense allowing 49.4 rushing yards per game.

In fact, the last four opponents on Hutchinson's schedule - Garden City, Highland, Independence and Iowa Western next week - along with the Blue Dragons take five spots in the NJCAA team Rushing defense Top 6 (Kilgore is the only non-KJCCC team in that list).

One year ago, the Blue Dragons had the exact same scenario with a chance to clinch an outright KJCCC title heading into the Independence game. The Dragons passed that test with a resounding 53-0 victory over the Pirates at Gowans Stadium.