BLUE DRAGONS TO SQUARE OFF AGAINST ARKANSAS BAPTIST SUNDAY
BLUE DRAGON FOOTBALL |
No. 1 Hutchinson (2-0) vs. Arkansas Baptist (1-1) |
| When: Sunday, April 11, 2021 Where: Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson, KS Time: 1 p.m. Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9), 12:30 p.m. - Glen Grunwald (pbp); Rob Dreher (color) Video: Blue Dragon Sports Network, 12:30 p.m. Twitter: @bluedragonsport Tickets: $5 general admission. Gates open at Noon CLICK FOR GAME NOTES AND GAME ROSTERS (PDF Format) |
Blue Dragon Sports Information
The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College football team steps out of Jayhawk Conference play for the only time this season as the Blue Dragons welcome the Arkansas Baptist Buffaloes into Gowans Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Sunday.
The Blue Dragons solidified their grip on the No. 1 ranking in the NJCAA with a decisive 41-10 victory over Butler on April 3 in El Dorado.
Outside of a rough stretch in the third quarter, the Blue Dragons dominated the Grizzlies, defeating Butler for the third-straight time. Hutchinson rolled up 440 yards of total offense, including 350 yards on the ground. Tye Edwards rushed for 129 yards and Anwar Lewis turned in a electrifying 73-yard touchdown run on the final play of the first half.
The defense had three interceptions, including two in the end zone. Special teams joined in as well as Jalik Thomas returned a Butler kickoff a school-record 100 yards for a touchdown. Thomas was named the NJCAA National Special Teams Player of the Week.
Arkansas Baptist enters Sunday's game with a 1-1 record.
The Buffaloes were hammered by then-No. 5 Garden City 63-6 on March 27 in Garden City. But Arkansas Baptist rebounded with a 6-0 victory over Ellsworth last week, scoring the game's only touchdown on the final play of the game.
Arkansas Baptist, located in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a independent in NJCAA Football, but is affiliated with Region II in all other sports. Region II is the Oklahoma region.
The Blue Dragons enter play on Sunday ranked eighth in the NJCAA in points scored (37.0 points per game) and eighth in total offense (425.5 yards per game). The Blue Dragons are fifth in the nation in rushing at 313.0 yards per game.
Defensively, the Dragons are fifth in the NJCAA in scoring defense, allowing 10.0 points per game.
First-year head coach Drew Dallas aims to being only the fourth Hutchinson head coach to win his first three games on the Blue Dragon sidelines. The others are Andy Hill, Martin Harrell and Craig Jersild.
Since the program's inception in 1929, the Blue Dragons have played teams from 17 different states. Arkansas Baptist will be the first time the Blue Dragons have ever played a team from the state of Arkansas.