NO. 1 DRAGONS TAKE ON RANGERS IN NJCAA SEMIS
Blue Dragon Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College football team preps for its fourth appearance in the NJCAA Division I Football National Semifinals on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.
The top-ranked Blue Dragons (10-0) will play host to fourth-seed Northwest Mississippi (10-1) at 6:02 p.m. in the second national semifinal. No. 3 Tyler plays at No. 2 Iowa Western on Friday in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and on sister stations (KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) beginning at 5:30 p.m. with Sean Boston (PBP) and Rob Dreher (color) calling the action.
ESPN+ will stream the game beginning at 6 p.m. with Daniel Gillman (PBP) and Kienan Dixon (color) on the call.
BLUE DRAGON FOOTBALL
No. 1 Hutchinson (10-0) vs. No. 4 Northwest Mississippi (10-1)
NJCAA Division I National Semifinals
When: Saturday, December 6, 2026
Where: Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson, KS
Kickoff: 6:02 p.m.
Radio:KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5), 5:30 p.m. -- Sean Boston (PBP), Rob Dreher (Color)
Video: ESPN+, 6:00 p.m. -- Daniel Gillman (PBP), Kienan Dixon (color)
X:@bluedragonsport
CLICK FOR BLUE DRAGON GAME NOTES (PDF Format)
The Blue Dragons make their 30th all-time NJCAA postseason appearance and fifth overall in the NJCAA National Playoffs since the body instituted the current playoff system in 2018. The Blue Dragons were national champions in 2020-21 and 2024, national runner-up in 2022 and national semifinalist in 2023.
The Rangers make their first national playoff appearance. Northwest Mississippi has won two national championships in 1982 and 1992.
The Blue Dragons ride a 14-game winning streak into the national semifinals, which ties for the third-longest win streak in program history. The Blue Dragons went 5-0 against nationally ranked opponents this season, which includes a regular-season-closing 27-14 win over No. 14 Garden City on November 22 at Gowans Stadium.
The Rangers (10-1) are on an eight-game winning streak with MACCC playoff victories over No. 5 Copiah-Lincoln, 28-27 in the semifinals and over No. 5 Mississippi Gulf Coast, 16-13, in the championship game. The Rangers are 6-0 at home and 4-1 in road games this season.
Both teams figured prominently in their respective league's postseason awards lists in 2025.
Head coach Drew Dallas, who guided the Blue Dragons to the 10-win mark for the fourth-straight season, was named the Jayhawk Conference Coach of the Year. Derrick Salley Jr., was named the league's co-Offensive Player of the Year and defensive end Darius Wiley was named the KJCCC's Defensive Player of the Year. Overall the Dragons had eight first-team selections, eight second-team selections and nine honorable mention players.
Ranger head coach Benjy Parker was named the Region 23 Coach of the Year and 23 players earned all-region honors. Defensive Tackle Jaylen Thomas was the MACCC North Division Defensive Player of the Year.
The Blue Dragon/Rangers winner advances to the NJCAA Championship game at 6 p.m. on December 17 at Bain-Schafer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, TX.
BLUE DRAGON POSTSEASON HISTORY
The Blue Dragons make their 30th all-time NJCAA postseason appearance, fifth overall appearance in the NJCAA Playoffs and fourth-straight appearance in the national semifinals.
Overall the Blue Dragons are 18-9-2 in NJCAA postseason appearances. The Blue Dragons are 4-2 in the NJCAA Playoffs with national championships in the 2020-21 season and 2024 season. The Blue Dragons are 2-1 in the national semifinals and 2-1 in national championship games.
NOTING THE BLUE DRAGONS
+ Offensively, the Blue Dragons currently rank No. 13 in the NJCAA in total offense (400.7 ypg), second in scoring average (44.0 ppg), 12th in rushing yards (184.5 ypg) and 15th in passing yards (216.2 ypg).
+ Defensively, the Blue Dragons are first in the NJCAA in defensive scoring average (10.0 ppg), third in total yards allowed per game (213.5 ypg), second in rushing yards allowed (55.9 ypg) and eighth in passing defense (157.6).
+ Quarterback Christian Johnson ranks 18th in the NJCAA in passing at 180.7 yards per game. His 60.8 percent completion percentage is 13th in the NJCAA and his 20 touchdown passes rank sixth in the nation. Johnson also has 465 rushing yards on 109 carries with six rushing touchdowns.
+ With three different three-receiving touchdown games this season, sophomore Derrick Salley Jr. is tied for the NJCAA lead with 12 touchdowns. His 42 receptions rank 17th, while his yards per game (72.5) and yards per reception (17.3) both rank sixth and eighth, respectively. L.T. Robinson has 23 catches for 382 yards with two touchdowns. Kordell Gouldsby has 22 receptions for 216 yards and two touchdowns. Bobby Shaw III has 21 catches for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Eddie McLaughlin has 21 receptions for 280 yards and three touchdowns.
+ The Blue Dragons have been running back by committee so far this season. Running back Lekedrin Harvey has 304 yards, Ravelle Leak has 217 yards on 27 carries and a 93-yard touchdown to his credit. In four games, Kade Smith has 167 yards and five touchdowns.
+ Linebacker Teegan Haines leads the Blue Dragons with 71 total tackles. Darius Wiley has 47 tackles and K.J. Henson has 71 tackles.
+ Wiley has team highs with 19.0 tackles for loss and 8.5 quarterback sacks. J'lynn Allen has 8.0 sacks and Kevin Moorer has 7.5 sacks. As a team, the Dragons have 47 sacks.
+ With two picks against Butler, M.J. Graham has re-taken the team lead in interceptions from Da'Mun Allen with six. Allen has four, including a two-interception game against Dodge City. The Blue Dragon defense has forced 34 takeaways (17 interceptions, 17 fumble recoveries) this season.
+ Freshman kicker Alejandro de la Poza is now 12 of 16 on field goals with a long of 41 yards. He is the sixth Blue Dragon in program history with 10 or more field goals in a single season. He is 49 of 52 on extra-point tries. He has 29 touchbacks on 40 kickoffs..
+ Punter Denzel More is averaging 41.7 yards per punt on 39 attempts this season with a long of 63 yards. More has 13 punts inside the 20-yard line.
+ The Blue Dragons now has a school-record nine blocked kicks through 10 games this season. Defensive lineman Jeffrey Manns has three blocked extra points in two games. Manns' block against Iowa Western on September 6 was a key three-point swing as Jack Sells returned the block 102 yards for a defensive two-point conversion. Darius Wiley, J'lynn Allen (two blocks), Amir Hill (two blocks) and Aiden Bruce all have blocks this season.
+ Kordell Gouldsby now has five career kickoff/punt returns for touchdowns, including a kickoff and two punt returns for scores this season. He is averaging 31.4 yards on 12 kickoff returns and 13.8 yards on 18 punt returns.
NOTING NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI
+ Northwest Mississippi is the No. 3 scoring defense in the NJCAA allowing 14.4 points per game. The Rangers are No. 5 in total defense (252.2 ypg), No. 1 in rushing defense (50.4 ypg) and 24th in pass defense (202.4 ypg).
+ Offensively, the Rangers average 34.1 points per game, which is ninth in the NJCAA. They are 35th in total offense at 400.3 yards per game. Northwest Mississippi ranks 13th in rushing at 80.9 yards and 14th in passing at 219.4 yards per game.
+ Freshman quarterback Neko Fann has completed 64.3 percent of his passes (160 of 249) for 2,061 yards with 20 touchdowns and four interceptions.
+ Freshman running back Julius Pope leads the Rangers with 729 rush yards on 1120 carries, averaging 6.1 yards per carry with eight touchdowns. Jarvis Durr has 363 yards with three scores, Aidan Glover has 334 yards and five touchdowns and Ja Keyes has 325 yards and two touchdowns.
+ Northwest has four players with 32 or more receptions this season. Britten Traylor has a team-high 36 receptions for 429 yards. M.J. Johnson has 34 catches for 442 yards and six scores. Keon Hutchins has a team-high 635 yards on 34 receptions with six touchdowns. Pope has 32 receptions for 355 yards and three touchdowns.
+ A pair of linebackers lead the Rangers defensively. Rase Jones has 54 tackles with three sackes and 6.5 tackles for loss. Jerry Wall III has 52 tackles with five sacks. Myles Miller has a team-high seven sacks.
+ Hayden Wolfe is one of the top kickers in the country, going 14 of 19 on field goals with a long of 51 yards. he his 45 of 46 on extra points. Wolfe is also the Rangers' punter, who averages 38.7 yards per punt with a long of 61 and 20 punts placed inside the 20-yard line.
+ Quincy Phillips Jr. is Northwest's top return specialist. He is averaging 23.4 yards per kickoff return on 13 returns with a long of 39. He averages 13.2 yards per punt return with one touchdown.