FORT DODGE, Iowa – For the second-straight week, the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College football team won an NJCAA Top-10 matchup from the Iowa side of the KJCCC/ICCAC Alliance on Saturday.
Led by three touchdown receptions from Derrick Salley Jr., 16 tackles for loss from the defense and two more blocked kicks from the Hutchinson special teams unit, the No. 1 Blue Dragons pulled away for a 35-17 victory over No. 9 Iowa Central at Dodger Stadium.
Hutchinson won its seventh-consecutive game dating back to last season and is now 3-0 this season. The Blue Dragons have a bye week next Saturday and return to the state of Iowa for a matchup against Ellsworth on October 4 in Iowa Falls, Iowa. Iowa Central fell to 2-1.
Tied at 14-all with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter, the Blue Dragons outscored Iowa Central 21-3 over the final 18 1/2 minutes of the game.
For the second time this season, Salley had three touchdown receptions. Against the Tritons, Salley had career highs of eight catches for 146 yards and touchdowns from Christian Johnson of 44, 10 and 29 yards. Two of Salley’s scores came in the decisive 21-3 run.
Johnson completed 17 of 25 passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns.
Lekedrin Harvey became the second Blue Dragon running back this season with 100-yard games, going for 104 yards on five carries, including a game-clinching 80-yard touchdown run with 2:05 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Despite having the ball for 22 minutes, 55 seconds, the Blue Dragons outgained Iowa Central 444-270. The Dragons rushed for 211 and passed for 233 yards. The Tritons had 204 passing yards and 66 rushing yards.
Defensively, Teegan Haines had 13 tackles and Darius Wiley had 11 tackles, which included five tackles for loss, two quarterback sacks and another quarterback hurry. The Blue Dragons forced three takeaways, including a 76-yard interception return for a touchdown by David Jester and M.J. Graham’s fourth interception of the season. Amir Hill had a fumble recovery.
Hutchinson had a season-high six quarterback sacks.
In addition to the three takeaways, the Blue Dragons made four crucial stops on seven ICCC fourth-down conversion attempts.
The Blue Dragon special teams blocked two field goals. J’lynn Allen and Wiley were credited with the blocks. The Dragons have five blocked kicks or punts through three games this season.
The Blue Dragon defense opened the scoring with 9:54 remaining in the opening quarter when Jester picked off a fourth-down Triton pass attempt and returned it 76 yards for a touchdown. The return was Jester’s second interception returned for a touchdown of his career.
Holding the Tritons on downs again late in the first quarter, the Dragons marched 78 yards in four plays and took a 14-0 lead on a 44-yard touchdown reception by Salley. The Tritons immediately answered back with a Marcella Chandler 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, cutting the Hutchinson lead to 14-7 with 20 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Blue Dragons had two sustained drives in the second quarter cut short with a pair of lost fumbles and Hutchinson led 14-7 at halftime.
The Tritons tied the game at 14-all with 3:24 left in the third quarter when quarterback Damarcus Creecy’s 13-yard touchdown run capped a 14-play, 75-yard scoring march.
The Dragons immediately responded with a Kordell Gouldsby 65-yard kickoff return to the Triton 34. Four plays later Salley caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Johnson for a 21-14 Hutchinson lead with 1:23 to go in the third quarter.
Iowa Central cut the Dragon lead to 21-17 with 14:10 left in the fourth quarter on a 35-yard Anderson Trejo field goal.
Hutchinson again responded, going 80 yards on 11 plays and covered the final 29 yards on a Johnson-to-Salley strike with 8:45 remaining for a 28-17 lead.
Iowa Central attempted to cut the deficit to a one-possession game, but had its 37-yard field goal attempt blocked by Wiley. One play later Harvey gashed the Tritons for an 80-yard touchdown run for a 35-17 lead with 2:05 to play in the game.
GAME NOTES – Blue Dragon head coach Drew Dallas is now 18-4 against NJCAA Top 10 opponents and 25-4 all-time against all ranked opponents. … The Dragons are now 10-1 against Iowa Central, including 5-0 in Fort Dodge. … The last Blue Dragon interception touchdown was from David Jester last season. He had a 35-yard pick-six against Ellsworth. … In two games against Iowa Central in his career, Derrick Salley Jr. has five touchdown receptions. … The Blue Dragons had three players with 100 or more all-purpose yards – Salley (146), Gouldsby (138) and Lekedrin Harvey (116).
