DRAGONS DO SCOTTIES IN AGAIN WITH LATE FIELD GOAL

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

One year ago at Gowans Stadium, Luke Niemeyer kicked a 37-yard field goal in double overtime to help the Hutchinson Community College football team defeat the Highland Scotties 16-13.

One year later, it was the same teams, same venue, same field-goal distance and same result. The only two differences were that Sebastian Garcia attempting the kick and there was 15 seconds remaining in regulation time.

Garcia's go-ahead field goal powered the No. 5-ranked Blue Dragons to a hard-fought 16-13 victory over No. 13 Highland on a dreary Saturday at Gowans Stadium.

The Blue Dragons star the season 6-1 for the second straight year. Hutchinson is 4-0 in the Jayhawk Conference for the first time since 2014. The Scotties fall to 4-2 and 2-2.

CLICK FOR VIDEO OF SEBASTIAN GARCIA'S GO-AHEAD 37-YARD FIELD GOAL WITH 15 SECONDS LEFT
CLICK FOR VIDEO OF THE BLUE DRAGONS' THIRD-QUARTER GOAL-LINE STAND

Hutchinson's need for a final game-winning drive after Highland completed a game-tying eight-play, 80-yard drive to knot the score at 13-13 with 1:55 to play in the fourth quarter.

The Blue Dragons started their game-winning march at their own 21 and got runs of 15 and 44 yards by sophomore running back Dezmon Jackson and the Dragon had the ball at the Highland 20. The Dragons mustered only one more yard in the next three plays, which set up Garcia from the right hash mark. Garcia, with Dylan Chesterman long-snapping and Marquis Whitmire holding, knocked his 37-yarder right down the middle for a 16-13 Hutchinson lead with 15 seconds to play.

Highland, which has won several games in the final second this season, couldn't add Hutchinson to its comeback list as the final two plays netted a minus-4 yards.

Jackson led the Blue Dragons offensively with a career-high 167 rushing yards on 26 carries and one touchdown. Jackson had had two receptions for 23 yards. Jonathan White had 60 yards on 11 carries with a score.

Quarterback Mason Schucker was under duress most of the game, getting sacked a season-high five times and completing 11 of 25 passes for a season-low 128 yards. Khalil McClain had three catches for 30 yards.

The Blue Dragons rolled up 341 total yards with 213 yards coming on the ground. The Dragons had to overtime two turnovers and 10 penalties.

Defensively, Hutchinson held the Scotties 132 yards under their season offensive average with 190 total yards (94 rushing, 96 passing).

The Dragon defense and coverage teams had their big moments on Saturday. Art Green blocked a potential 53-yard field goal in the first quarter. The Dragons had a huge goal-line stand in the third quarter. With the Dragons leading 13-6, the defense stifled a potential game-tying touchdown by stuffing a 1st-and-goal from the three. The final three plays of the stand came from inside the 1-yard line.

After a scoreless opening quarter, the Blue Dragons finally cracked the scoreboard when White capped off a 51-yard, six-play scoring drive with a shifty 10-yard run into the end zone. The Dragons led 7-0 with 11:40 to play in the second period. Highland came back to get a field goal that was set up by a 64-yard kickoff return. But the Scotties couldn't get into the end zone and settled for a Ryan Schemtob 24-yard field goal to cut the Hutch lead to 7-3 with 8:50 to play in the second quarter.

The Blue Dragons took a 13-3 lead early in the third quarter when Jackson had five-straight rushes, one for 29 yards to set up a 5-yard touchdown run around the right end. The PAT snap was mishandled and Hutch led 13-3 with 8:45 remaining in the third. The Scotties added a Schemtob 39-yard field goal with 6:32 to play in the third to cut the Hutch lead to 13-6.

The Dragons got two defensive stops and thought it had a third but a penalty against Hutchinson gave Highland new life for the drive. Facing a second-and 29 at their own 34, Kevin Brown broke loose for 64 yards to the Dragon 2. One play later, Avery McCall scored and the game was tied at 13-all with 1:59 to go.

Hutchinson's game-winning drive that was capped by Garcia's 37-yard field goal covered 60 yards in six plays.

The Blue Dragons will be at Coffeyville next Saturday for a 7 p.m. matchup. The Blue Dragons won't be home again until November 3 against Garden City

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are 3-1 against nationally ranked teams this season and now 22-28 in the Rion Rhoades' era. … The Blue Dragons are now 33-4 all-time against the Scotties, 21-0 all-time at Gowans Stadium against the Scotties. …