BLUE DRAGONS HEAD TO ELLSWORTH SATURDAY

HutchCC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College Football Team begins the second half of the season on Saturday with a road trip to play the Ellsworth Panthers.

Kickoff for Hutchinson's final non-conference contest of the season is 3 p.m. at Cadet Field in Iowa Falls, Iowa. The game was originally scheduled for 1 p.m., but was pushed back two hours becuase of potentially bad weather.

The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5). The veteran broadcast team of Glen Grunwald (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (analysis). The broadcast begins at 2:30 p.m. with Countdown to Kickoff.

The game will also be videostreamed on the Blue Dragon Sports Network (www.bluedragonsports.com).

The No. 12-ranked Blue Dragons come off their only bye week winners of four games in a row. Now 5-1 overall, the Blue Dragons are tied for first place in the Jayhawk Conference at 3-0 with No. 6 Independence.

Two weeks ago, the Blue Dragons defeated Iowa Central 42-14 at Gowans Stadium. In that game, back-up quarterback Eric Forrest threw three touchdown passes and 165 yards. Hutchinson's defense played another solid contest allowing 278 total yards, 133 coming on two plays.

The Panthers are 3-3, but that record is a play or two from being 5-1. Last week, Ellsworth dropped a 44-38 triple-overtime decision at Independence. On September 16 at Dodge City, the Panthers dropped a 36-30 shootout with the Conquistadors. The only game where Ellsworth didn't play well came on August 24 at Garden City in a 31-7 loss.

Since the Jayhawk-Iowa Conference scheduling alliance formed before the 2014 season, the Panthers have a 2-1 advantage on the Blue Dragons. The lone Hutch win in that span was 2014 at Iowa Falls. In the last two games, both played at Gowans Stadium, the Panthers dealt season-damaging blows to the Blue Dragons.

In 2015, the Dragons led 35-0 at halftime, only to see Ellsworth score 42 unanswered points in the second half for a 42-35 win over Hutchinson. Last season, the Panthers eeked out a 23-20 victory.

The Blue Dragons continue to lead the Jayhawk Conference in rushing offense at 200.7 yards per game. Defensively, they lead the KJCCC and are 11th in the nation in stopping the run at 76 yards allowed per game.

After Saturday, the Blue Dragons return to Jayhawk Conference play with four-consecutive key matchups to close out the season. Butler comes to Gowans Stadium October 21. Then Hutchinson travels to No. 6 Independence. The Blue Dragons then close out at home against Fort Scott on November 5 and are at Dodge City on November 11.

The Dragons are one win shy of bowl eligibility.