TURNOVERS DOOM DRAGONS IN SEASON OPENER

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

COFFEYVILLE – Seven turnovers and two crucial special teams' mistakes were huge negatives in the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College football team having the third-longest winning streak in program history snapped on Saturday in the 2021 season opener at Coffeyville.

The NJCAA No. 1-ranked Blue Dragons suffered its first loss since 2019 in a 17-10 loss to the Red Ravens at Veterans' Memorial Stadium.

Hutchinson saw two major winning streaks come to an end. The Dragons had their 10-game winning streak – the third longest streak in program history – come to an end. The Blue Dragons' 13-game season-opening winning streak was also snapped.

The Blue Dragons took a 7-0 lead on the third play of the game when linebacker Albert Nunes returned a Coffeyville fumble 24 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead just 52 seconds into the season.

The Dragons were a play away from a two-score lead. After Davion Westmoreland recovered a second Raven fumble in the first minute of the game, the Blue Dragons weren't able to convert and were held on downs at the Raven 12-yard line with 12:45 to play in the opening quarter.

The mistakes began to mount as the Blue Dragons lost 5 of 6 fumbles and quarterback Dylan Laible threw two interceptions.

Two of those turnovers came on fourth-quarter possessions in the red zone.

Trailing 17-10, the Blue Dragons drove to the Red Raven 11 before losing a fumble with 7:28 to go in the fourth quarter. Hutchinson forced a Coffeyville punt and again drove to the Raven 11 with 5:06 left when Laible's pass was deflected and intercepted.

Hutchinson led 7-3 late in the second quarter. The Ravens kicked a 32-yard field goal, but the Blue Dragons were called for roughing the kicker, placing the ball at the Hutch 7 with 13 seconds to play in the second half. The Ravens took the points off the board and made that call count as Cortarius Wilson caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Jakson Thompson 4 seconds left to take a 10-7 lead.

Coffeyville then blocked a Trevor Whiteman punt on Hutchinson's second possession in the third quarter and recovered it in the end zone to take a 17-7 lead with 9:17 to go in the third quarter.

The Blue Dragons also lost a fumble on a punt return attempt in the fourth quarter.

Despite all the miscues the Blue Dragons out-gained the Red Ravens 366-274. The Blue Dragons rushed for 136 yards and passed for 230. The Ravens had 131 rushing yards and 177 passing yards. The Ravens had two turnovers.

Laible completed 16 of 33 passes for 230 yards with two interceptions and was sacked twice.

Tye Edwards rushed for 79 yards on 12 carries. Anwar Lewis had 62 yards on 18 attempts.

Demariyon Houston caught five passes for 47 yards and Malik Benson had four catches for 113 yards.

The only offensive points by the Blue Dragons came on a 21-yard C.J. Moya field goal with 14:03 to play in the fourth quarter that cut the Raven lead to 17-10.

Defensive end Davion Westmoreland had a team-high nine tackles and a fumble recovery to lead a strong Blue Dragon defensive effort. Martavius French had seven tackles.

Star Thomas had 82 yards rushing on 15 carries. Thompson came off the bench to lead the Ravens on 11 of 24 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown.

The Blue Dragons play host to the No. 15-ranked Butler Grizzlies at 7 p.m. on Saturday in the Blue Dragons' home opener at Gowans Stadium.

GAME NOTES: The Blue Dragons are 28-56-4 all-time against Coffeyville. … Coffeyville snapped a five-game losing streak to the Blue Dragons. … Hutchinson is now 53-35-2 in season openers. … The Blue Dragons had a streak of scoring an offensive touchdown snapped at 115 games. The last time Hutch didn't score an offensive touchdown was the 2010 Region VI Playoff championship game, a 48-0 loss to Butler. … The Blue Dragons had four quarterback sacks.