Conqs Routed in Hutch by #1 Ranked Blue Dragons

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Hutchinson running back Tyrell Reed found the end zone four times and the Blue Dragons outscored #11 Dodge City by 26 points in the second quarter to cruise to a 46-10 win at Gowans Stadium.

Both teams entered the game undefeated in Jayhawk conference play. Hutchinson in particularly came in dominating their competition with their closest game being a 25 point win over Iowa Central back on September 9. Those dominant wins propelled the Blue Dragons to the #1 spot in the NJCAA rankings which they have held since the start of week 2.

Dodge City came in as the #11 ranked team in the NJCAA, holding their highest ranking in seven years. The Conqs had won three of their last four games entering the contest, with the only loss during that stretch being against a top-10 ranked Snow College team.

The Blue Dragons showed their might early in the game as star returner Tre Richardson took the opening kickoff 34 yards to set the offense up near midfield. Two plays later, Hutchinson was already inside the Conqs 20-yard line. Dodge City’s defense stood tall though and forced the Dragons to settle for 33-yard Cole Seagraves field goal to make it 3-0 early.

The Conqs offense had chances to respond though as quarterback Trey Jefferson connected with Kam Thomas for 48 yards early on the next drive to get Dodge City deep into Hutch territory. Another completion to Kerya Powell set the offense up with 1st-and-goal but they couldn’t capitalize as a second down Jefferson fumble moved the Conqs back to the 19-yard line. Following an incompletion, Angel Dominguez couldn’t convert on 37-yard field goal attempt, keeping the score at 3-0 midway through the opening quarter.

Hutch was forced to punt after three plays on their next drive though, handing the ball back to the Dodge City offense. In remarkably similar fashion, the Conqs got to 1st-and goal, this time thanks to a Powell 34 yard catch. Dodge got behind schedule again though after Jefferson took a second down sack which kept the Conqs out of the end zone. Dominguez got another opportunity from 37 yards and he was able to split the uprights this time to tie the game at 3 with just over two minutes left in the first quarter.

It looked like Hutchinson would be in for their first real battle of the season but a second quarter explosion got them comfortably in front. It started when Dodge City faced a fourth down at their own 12-yard line. While trying to punt, the Conqs took four consecutive false start penalties which backed them up to the one. Concerned about a block, punter Caleb Sedegan was instructed to take an intentional safety which gave Hutch a 5-3 lead.

The Blue Dragons turned it into a nine point swing soon after when quarterback Jake Parker floated a pass down the right side which found Oran Singleton for a 31 yard score making it a 12-3 game. 

Mistakes started to pile up for Dodge City at this point as Jefferson was picked off on back-to-back pass attempts by Malik McConico which both led to Tyrell Reed rushing touchdowns ballooning the lead to 26-3 near the middle of the second quarter. Nestus Burger added a school record 50-yard field goal later in the half as the Blue Dragons took a 29-3 lead into halftime.

Any hope of a second half comeback was extinguished early when Trey Jefferson was strip sacked by Daniel Brown with Walter Bob Jr. recovering for Hutchinson to set the offense up with another short field. Reed went for a 22 yard touchdown on the next play making it 36-3.

Hutch added a field goal and a fourth Reed rushing touchdown in the final quarter while Dodge City grabbed their lone touchdown of the game on a Stone Wilson 4-yard run to make the final score 46-10.

The Conqs managed a total of 218 yards of offense in the game to Hutchinson’s 345. In his second start of the season, Parker went 11-for-25 for 156 yards and a touchdown. Reed made the biggest impact though with 10 carries for 120 yards to go with the four touchdowns. Daniel Brown was unstoppable on the defensive side for the Dragons, tallying three sacks and a forced fumble.

Dodge City drops to 3-3 with the loss while Hutchinson improves to 6-0 heading into their bye week. The Conqs stay on the road next Saturday as they take on Ellsworth in Iowa at 11 a.m.