Broncbusters Football Battles Against No. 1 Hutchinson in 27-18 Defeat
Photo Credits; Adam Shrimplin, Shrimplin Photography
HUTCHINSON, KS. – Garden City gave Hutchinson their best game of the season.
The Broncbusters showed determination, fight, and composure against severe adversity against the best team the NJCAA has to offer.
The Garden City Broncbusters dropped their fifth game of the season, falling against the No. 1 Hutchinson Blue Dragons, 27-18 at Gowans Stadium. GCCC scored the most points against Hutchinson’s vaunted defense, while giving up the fewest points scored by the Blue Dragons’ offense since week three.
The result still shows up the same in the scorebooks, but not without a valiant effort from Garden City (3-4, 2-3 KJCCC). The game never felt out of reach, despite GCCC trailing by 20.
Hutchinson jumped out in front early, with two red-zone scores by quarterback Samari Collier. The Broncbuster defense kept the team in the game, with linebacker Daniel Martin recording his first two interceptions to keep the Blue Dragon offense at bay.
The Hutch offense got into the end zone midway through the second, as Collier found Oregon State transfer Zeriah Beason for a 33-yard touchdown, 20-0.
Yet, with their backs against the wall for a second straight week, the Broncbusters never folded.
GCCC closed the first half with their biggest play of the ballgame, as quarterback Jalen Daniels found Keyshawn Buckley on a 47-yard touchdown through contact. The Broncbusters would fail the two-point conversion, leading to a 20-6 halftime score.
The Broncbuster defense got another stop, with Hutchinson (7-0, 4-0 KJCCC) slot receiver Oran ‘Man Man’ Singleton fumbling at the six yard line on the opening drive of the second half.
Then, silence. Three and outs abound between both offenses, before Garden City found their groove in the fourth.
Daniels fired two fourth-down touchdowns in the final quarter, hitting Alexander Lines for a two-yard touchdown, then Ajou Ajou for a 28-yard touchdown to bring the game to within two.
Lines (four receptions) and Ajou (three receptions) both finished the game with 44 yards, both scoring their second touchdowns of the season. The total was a season-high for Ajou.
Hutchinson iced the game with a critical four play, 49-yard touchdown drive. Collier found Beason for his second score of the game for a 29-yard touchdown connection, sealing a 27-18 win.
Collier finished the game with 266 yards and four touchdowns, all-purpose. Beason recorded a career-high 82 yards and his first career multi-touchdown game.
The Broncbusters return to Garden City for their final homestand of the season, facing the Ellsworth Panthers next Saturday at 11:00 A.M. Coverage on KWKR 99.9 ‘The Rock’ opens at 10:30 A.M. with the American Implement Pregame Show.
