CO-REGION CHAMPION, DISTRICT RUNNER-UP DRAGONS QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS

Keaton Thissen fist pumps after a chip-in birdie on No. 6 at Tiffany Greens Golf Club on Tuesday in Kansas City during the final round of the NJCAA Central District/Region 6 Championship. (Steve Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

April 30, 2024

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The Hutchinson Community College men's golf team earned a co-Region 6 championship, a runner-up Central District finish and a trip to the NJCAA National Division I Men's Golf Championship on Tuesday at Tiffany Greens Golf Club.

The Blue Dragons tied Dodge City for second in the team standings with a 54-hole total of 881 on Tuesday to close out the Plains District/Region VI championship.

Hutchinson now qualifies for its 23rd consecutive berth in the national tournament, which will be May 14-17 at Rockwind Country Club in Hobbs, New Mexico, with their eighth runner-up or better finish in a district tournament.

The No. 5-nationally ranked and 2024 Jayhawk Conference champion Blue Dragons also captured their 22nd Region VI championship in program history.

No. 3-nationally ranked Indian Hills rolled to the Plains District Championship finishing with a 298 on Tuesday and closing with a 54-hole total of 864. Hutchinson and Dodge City were second at 881. Dodge City shot the low team round on Tuesday at 294. Iowa Western and Barton tied for fourth and earned the other two automatic qualifying spots from the Central District.

The Blue Dragons had two players earn all-district honors on Tuesday.

Freshman Charlie Box finished sixth overall at 2-over 218. Sophomore Marco Anderson was 10th at 6-over 222.

Freshman Keaton Thissen tied for 11th at 223, freshman David Razinskas tied for 18th at 226 and redshirt freshman Louis Ross tied for 24th at 228. Individual player Brooks Sauder was 59th at 258.

Box was third in the overall Region 6 individual standings. Anderson and Thissen were sixth and seventh, respectively. Razinskas was 12th, Ross was 15th and Sauder was 29th.

Thissen led the Blue Dragons on Tuesday with an even-par 72. Thissen had four birdies and four bogeys over his final round, including a 30-yard chip-in for birdie on No. 6. The Blue Dragon freshman calmly parred his final holes to help the Blue Dragons down the stretch.

Box shot a 1-over 73 on Tuesday to close out his tournament. The Dragons also counted scores from Anderson (76) and Razinskas (79). Ross closed with an 81 and Sauder had an 87 to close the tournament.