DRAGONS MOUNT LARGEST COMEBACK IN TEAM HISTORY TO TOPPLE RAVENS

HutchCC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College football team made the 2017 season opener one of the most memorable in program history on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.

The Blue Dragons forged the largest comeback in the 86-year history of the program by rallying from 25 points down to defeat the Coffeyville Red Ravens 50-42 in a Jayhawk Conference matchup.

The previous largest comeback in Blue Dragon Football history came on October 19, 2013 at Gowans Stadium against Fort Scott. The Greyhounds led by 22 points three minutes into the second half before the Blue Dragons rallied for a blowout 63-39 victory.

Saturday, Hutchinson trailed Coffeyville 25-0 with 9:19 to play in the second quarter. After the Blue Dragons scored 23 unanswered points to pull with two at halftime, the Red Ravens scored two quick third quarter touchdowns in the first 3 1/2 innings to lead 39-23 with 11:31 remaining in the third quarter. Coffeyville still let 42-29 with 1:14 to play in the third quarter.

The Blue Dragons used numerous big plays to score the final 21 points of the game over the final 15 minutes, 59 seconds.

After Coffeyville kicker Bailey Triston booted a 33-yard field goal with 1:14 to play in the third quarter to create a 13-points Hutch deficit, the Dragons needed only 15 seconds to answer as Jawaun Johnson caught a 70-yard pass from Cam Jones, doing the final 40 yards on his own, to cut the deficit to 42-36 with 59 seconds left in the third quarter.

Hutchinson forced a punt on the next Coffeyville possession and took its first lead of the game two plays later when Jaylen Erwin caught a 57-yard touchdown strike with 13:56 to go. After Luke Niemeyer added the extra point, the Dragons led 43-42 with 13:56 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Erwin and Johnson became the first Blue Dragon receiver tandem to have 100-yard receiving games since Nov. 1, 2012. Erwin caught three passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson had two catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.

The Blue Dragons forced two more Raven punts down the stretch and then made the game an eight-point deficit when Otis Williams' 4-yard touchdown run capped a six-play, 75-yard scoring drive to give the Dragons a 50-42 lead with 4:30 remaining.

Hutch's defense was forced to make two more stops in the final minutes. Coffeyville reached the Blue Dragon 48 and faced third-and-10. Sophomore Adrian Cross broke of passes on both third and fourth downs to stop that threat. Then on the final play of the game with Coffeyville quarterback Mo Hasan scrambling, Jeffmario Brown had a sack/fumble that went out of bounds as the clock ran out.

Hutchinson outgained Coffeyville 451-408. The Dragons rushed for 198 yards and passed for 253.

Jones completed 7 of 17 passes for 247 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. B.J. Emmons led the stable of Blue Dragon running backs with 77 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown. Andrew Lee had 63 yards on three carries. Otis Williams had 12 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown. DeShawn Waller had one carry for a 29-yard touchdown run.

Defensively, Storey Jackson had 10 tackles to lead Hutchinson. Guy Victoria had nine tackles and three quarterback hurries. Brown had eight tackles with four tackles for loss. Quen Head also had eight kills. Jerry Jacobs added a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown that started the second half comeback.

The Blue Dragons had to overcome a three-touchdown performance of Coffeyville running back Justin Richardson, who had 98 yards on 15 carries.

The first 21 minutes of the game were a nightmare for Hutchinson. The Dragons' first three possessions were a fumble, safety and interception. The Dragons had two safeties against them in the opening half. When Derrick Wiggins caught a 13-yard touchdown pass with 9:19 to go in the second period, the Ravens won 25-0.

Hutchinson then scored 23 unanswered points in the second quarter. Niemeyer kicked a 27-yard field goal to get the Dragons on the board. Hutch then had rushing touchdowns from Waller (29 yards), and Emmons (3 yards) before Erwin caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from Jones. The Dragons went for two and missed and Coffeyville led 25-23 at halftime.

Coffeyville staggered Hutchinson in the third with a 54-yard Henderson touchdown run and Darion Staten's 33-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Ravens led 39-23 with 11:31 to go in the third. With a little more than three minutes to play in the third, Jacobs jumped a route for a 50-yard interception return with 3:13 remaining and Hutch trailed 39-29.

The Blue Dragons will at No. 12 Iowa Western at 1 p.m. next Saturday in Council Bluffs, IA

GAME NOTES – Hutchinson has now won 10 consecutive season openers, winning 21 of the last 23. … The Dragons are now 50-34-2 in season openers and 60-24-2 in home openers. … Hutchinson is now 27-55-4 all-time against Coffeyville, including 17-22-2 in games played in Hutchinson. … The Blue Dragons have won 9 of the last 10 against Coffeyville. … The last time the Blue Dragons had two receivers with 100-yard receiving games was Antonio Johnson and Miguel Johns against Iowa Central in the 2012 Salt City Bowl against Iowa Central. … With his 27-yard field goal in the second quarter, Luke Niemeyer is now tied for second on the career Blue Dragon field goals list with 12. He is tied with Kelly Roberts and Phillip Aguliar.