By: Charles Chaney/JUCOWeekly Contributor
For the Hutchinson Blue Dragons, this moment has been more than a year in the making.
They still remember being left out of last year's playoffs.
"We felt like we were one of the four best teams last season," Hutchinson CC head coach Drew Dallas said. "We weren't because we didn't control our own destiny. It was a rallying call to our guys this year is to make sure we were in a position to control our own destiny."
They've done that.
After dropping two close games last season and being left out of the playoffs, Hutch has done nothing but win since that last second lost to Indy. They done it by winning big, too. A current 17-game winning streak—the longest in the nation—has seen 14 of the wins be by double digits. Only two were single digit games.
One of them was their last game over Iowa Western.
Hutch went to Council Bluffs, beating Iowa Western 29-28 on a Dylan Kedzior run with just over 7 minutes left in the fourth and then blocked a punt, returning it for a touchdown with less than three minutes remaining to steal the win.
Iowa Western had the ball for over 37 minutes in the first game before Hutch made some big plays to steal the win.
Though, that's what some teams do. They find a way to win, whether it's pretty or not. Because at the end of the day, the only statistic that matters is the win. A 2-0 win counts the same as a 77-0 win.
"Especially when you're playing a really, really good opponent, that doesn't matter you how find a way to win a ballgame," Dallas said. "Our guys have been able to buy into the culture and do things the right way to where that's the expectation which is to go out and feed each and every week and find a way to be 1-0."
The Blue Dragons haven't just beat up on nobodies, they play in arguably the toughest conference in the nation, with five of the seven teams being ranked at some point this season. They opened the season by hosting No. 13 Navarro College and beating them 42-0. It was the first time Navarro had been shut out since 1997, a span of 257 games.
They would then go to Ellsworth, beating up on the Panthers, 70-7.
Their first real "test" came when Iowa Central came from behind and forced overtime. However, the cool and calm Blue Dragons would pull out a 31-28 win in overtime. The next week, they would be pushed to the brink by Coffeyville, the team they played in the semifinal. A late fourth quarter touchdown secured the win over the Red Ravens.
The following week, they survived a scare from Butler, 27-19 at home. Butler had a chance on a final drive to potentially tie but the Blue Dragons defense, who ranks in the top five of most defensive stats, sacked the quarterback on a fourth down to secure the win.
For the next four weeks, the Blue Dragons would roll. They blew out Dodge City, Garden City, Highland and Independence by a combined 196-28.
Then came the game against then-third ranked Iowa Western. Iowa Western led 28-17 with 8:34 remaining in the game. However, two players later Kedzior broke it open for a 70-yard touchdown run to pull Hutch within 28-23.
The Blue Dragons held Iowa Western on downs, forcing them to punt with less than three minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Jeremaine Hamlit came off the end and blocked the punt and Jamielle Clayton picked it up, rumbling 20 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
The defense stood tall on the final possession, forcing a turnover on downs.
"They really controlled the clock with their run game," Dallas said. "They're well coached in those areas and we have to be able to put them in third and long situations."
For as explosive as the offense has been this season, we mentioned the defense. It's been the catalyst for it all.
Their 252.8 yards per game ranks eighth nationally but ASA Miami, Sussex are two ahead of Hutch in the national rankings. Their 11.5 points per game is tied for the lowest in the nation… with Iowa Western.
They're eighth in fumble recovers, fourth in interceptions and ninth in sacks. They're third nationally in defensive touchdowns. They're one of the top five defenses in third down conversions allowed.
"Their preparation and our defensive staff puts those guys in good positions," Dallas said. "We've got great depth and great players but the depth has been key to that."
Since Dallas has become the head coach for the Blue Dragons, he's only lost two games, both last season. He helped Hutch win the 2020 national title. In his three seasons, Dallas is 28-2 as head coach. Prior to being the head coach, where he was the offensive coordinator and has coached multiple conference players of the year.
He's taken the Blue Dragons from a middle of the road conference team, to one of the best in the nation.
Walter Jones award finalist, Dylan Laible has led the Blue Dragons on offense. He's thrown for 2,183 yards in 11 games. He's only played in five fourth quarters this season. He's thrown for 22 touchdowns and only three interceptions this season, tied for the lowest in the nation.
KJCCC Offensive player of the year, Kedzior ranks fourth nationally with 1,077 yards rushing this season and 18 touchdowns. He waited his time behind all-americans and has shined as the main back for the Blue Dragons.
"Once he got [the opportunity], he seize the moment and made the most of it," Dallas said. "He's taken over that role, being the guy back there for us, you've kind of seen the success that we've he can have."
The No. 1 rated JUCO WR, Malik Benson is fourth nationally in receptions with 54 and is second in receiving yards with 923 yards. He's caught 10 touchdowns this season.
The Blue Dragons are looking for their second national championship in the last three seasons. They beat Snow College, 29-27, in the COVID moved season. The championship game was originally scheduled to be played in Pittsburg, Kansas that season. It was moved to its current location in Little Rock, Arkansas.