The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College Football team’s defense pitched its fourth shutout and the offense broke the 70-point mark for the third time this season in a KJCCC rout of the Independence Pirates on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.
The Blue Dragons scored on 7 of 9 first-half possessions and rolled to a 72-0 victory before a crowd of 1,600 on Military and First Responders Appreciation Day.
The Blue Dragons improved to 7-0 for the fifth-straight season and are in sole possession of first place of the Jayhawk Conference at 4-0. Hutchinson travels to play at Coffeyville at 7 p.m. next Saturday in Coffeyville. The Pirates are now 0-7 overall and 0-6 in the KJCCC.
The fourth shutout of the season by the Blue Dragon defense ties for the third-most shutouts in a season and it’s the first time since 1974 with four shutouts in a season.
Hutchinson held Independence, the No. 2-ranked team in both scoring and total offense in the KJCCC in 2026, to 159 total yards (110 passing, 49 rushing). The Blue Dragons also had four takeaways on interceptions by Dylan Gill and Kelby Tyre, whose 49-yard interception return went for a touchdown. Jack Sells and Jace White recovered Pirate fumbles.
The Blue Dragons broke 70 points for the third time this season, the 24th time in program history and for the fourth time against Independence in series history.
Led by the season-high-tying four touchdown passes from quarterback Randy Phillips, the Blue Dragons had 418 total yards (240 passing, 178 rushing).
Special teams also had a huge role in Saturday’s outcome.
Placekicker Parker Grizzell scored 12 points with nine extra points and a field goal. That was the fourth time Grizzell scored at least 10 points in a game this season. He now has 79 points for the season.
Devin Voltaire recovered two free kicks in the second quarter for the Blue Dragons. Both of those recoveries led to Hutchinson touchdowns.
Phillips was 13 of 23 passing or 179 yards with four touchdowns and an interception. Back-up quarterback Jace Jefferson was 4 of 7 for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Ryan Campbell was Hutchinson’s leading rusher with 69 yards on seven carries and a touchdown. Jayden Hall had 67 rushing yards on 11 attempts and two touchdowns.
Thirteen different Blue Dragons caught passes against the Pirates. Aiden Bruce had two catches for 60 yards. Nakai Poole, Ravelle Leak and DyVair McCray had two catches each.
Gill led the Dragons with six tackles. Donavin Garfield, Makai Simpson and LaDarius Jemes had five tackles each. The Dragons collected five quarterback sacks and 17 tackles for loss.
The Blue Dragons scored quickly after an 18-yard Bruce punt return set up the Dragons at the Pirate 35. JB Price went the first 21 yards and then Jayden Hall went the final 14 for a Dragon touchdown with 13:01 to play. Grizzell added a 42-yard field goal for a 10-0 Hutchinson lead after one quarter.
Hutchinson proceeded to score 34 points in the second quarter, the most since scoring 35 points in the third quarter at New Mexico Military in the 2025 season opener on September 6, 2025.
Gill’s started the quarter when his 29-yard interception return set the Dragons up at the Indy 16. Four plays later, Bravin Powell caught his first career touchdown reception with a 2-yard flip from Phillips with 12:43 to in the second quarter and a 17-0 Dragon lead.
The Dragons immediately got the ball back when Voltaire recovered a free kick on the Pirate 32. Two plays later, Leak broke loose for a 21-yard touchdown run and a 24-0 lead with 11:22 left in the second quarter.
Sell’s fumble recovery at the Pirate 1 set up Hall’s 1-yard touchdown plunge with 6:10 remaining for a 31-0 Hutchinson lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Voltaire recovered the kickoff at the Pirate 35. The Dragons scored on that takeaway when Bobby Shaw III hauled in a 31-yard touchdown pass from Phillips for a 38-0 lead with 5:31 to go.
Hutchinson closed out the half with McCray’s 5-yard touchdown pass from Phillips with 52 seconds to play in the half for a 44-0 halftime lead.
Hall caught a 25-yard touchdown pass on a screen and Gerald Campbell caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Jefferson to give the Dragons a 58-0 lead after three quarters.
Tyre’s 49-yard pick-6 and Ryan Campbell‘s 7-yard touchdown run accounted for the Dragons’ 14-point fourth quarter.
GAME NOTES: The 2026 Blue Dragons’ fourth shutout of the season ties the 1931, 1932, 1950, 1970 and 1974 teams for the third-most season shutouts in team history. … The Blue Dragons are now 62-27-5 all-time against Independence, including 36-10-2 at home. … The Dragons shut out Independence for the ninth time in series history. … Kelbe Tyre’s fourth quarter pic-6 was the first since David Jester’s against Iowa Central on September 20, 2025. … This was Hutchinson’s 11 time to start a season 7-0.
