CHARLOTTE, NC – Following wins for all three ranked Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) teams last week has led to minimal change within the Week 8 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division 1 Top 15 poll.
Across the entire poll, the top nine teams in the poll all maintained their ranking from last week, while seeing 10 of the top 11 teams kept their ranking from week seven as ranked teams continue to take care of business. Only one team within the top 15 saw a change to their ranking of more than one spot, with no team in the top 15 this week having a record worse than 4-2.
Hutchinson Community College continues to be the top-ranked team after earning a 72-0 shutout of Independence Community College, their fourth shutout of the season in the past five games. The Blue Dragons are one of two undefeated teams in the ranking this week, sitting ahead of number two ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast who also holds a 7-0 record.
Maintaining their number 11 ranking this week, Dodge City improved to 5-2 with a 37-8 win over Ellsworth Community College. The Conquistadors have won four straight games, including three straight over non-conference opponents, to continue to make up ground on moving into the top 10 of the rankings. After re-entering the rankings last week, Butler moved up one spot to number 13 in the rankings following a 29-28 come-from-behind win at Coffeyville to improve to 4-2 this season. Four of Butler’s six games this season have been decided by single digits, with both losses coming to teams ranked in the top three of the latest NJCAA Division 1 Football rankings.
For the second straight week, a four-game slate awaits the conference on Saturday as action will once again be spread throughout the day. Garden City will kick off the action for the day at 11 AM when they take on number 15-ranked Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami, Oklahoma, while Highland will play host to Ellsworth Community College in a 1 PM kickoff at Porter Family Stadium. Also taking place at 1 PM on Saturday will be a ranked matchup between number 11 Dodge City and number 13 Butler in El Dorado, while Coffeyville will play a second straight home game under the lights when they welcome top-ranked Hutchinson to Veterans Memorial Stadium for a 7 PM kickoff.
