Sports roundup: HutchCC women start strong

By Rebecca Carney
Co-Sports Editor

The Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team earned its first win over a nationally-ranked team this season on Saturday at the Best Western/Cougar Booster Club Classic at Barton Community College.

Three players scored in double figures and HutchCC shot better than 50 percent for a third straight game. The Blue Dragons move to 3-0 overall.

Freshman Makayla Vannet hit a season high of five 3-pointers, going 5 of 10 from distance to lead the team in scoring.

Sophomore Dejanae Roebuck had a good weekend as well, finishing with 16 points and 13 rebounds for the team’s first double-double of the season. Roebuck was 6 of 6 from the line.

Sophomore Tia Bradshaw was 4 of 5 shooting and finished with 11 points and three assists. Abby Ogle, Tijuana Kimbro, Keeley Tini and Jada Mickens all added six points as well.

HutchCC hit 29 of 55 total shots, shooting 52.7 percent.

Men’s Basketball: The men’s basketball team surpassed the 100-point mark for the third-straight game and closed out its stay at the Best Western/Cougar Booster Club Classic with a pair of wins.

James Rojas and D.J. Mitchell both had career highs as the No. 9 Blue Dragons raced past the Redland Cougars 117-85. The Blue Dragons move to 5-0, going 3-0 on a current five-game road trip.

Rojas scored 28 points on 10 of 14 shooting and seven of eight from the foul line. Mitchell had a second-straight big game with 25 points on four of seven from 3-point range.

Five Dragons scored in double figures. Chris Giles added 13 points, while Fred Odhiambo and Josh Perkins added 10 each.

The Blue Dragons will play Murray State and Labette next weekend in El Dorado.

Football: The Blue Dragons dropped their 2018 regular-season finale 54-16 on a frigid Saturday at Gowans Stadium to the Iowa Central Tritons.

The No. 8 Blue Dragons completed the regular season 8-3 and lost to Iowa Central for the first time in six games.

The lone offensive bright spot for Hutchinson Community College was receiver-turned-quarterback Khalil McClain, who rushed nine times for 95 yards and touchdowns of one and 12 yards. He also had one punt return for 33 yards and one kickoff return of 25 yards.

HutchCC suffered its worst defensive game of the season as Iowa Central quarterback Blake Dever threw five touchdown passes and 237 yards on 17 of 28 passing.

The Dragons had two early chances to score with interceptions from De’Mareyae Givens and Latayveon Beaton but were unable to score off either one.

Despite the loss, the Blue Dragons are still bowl eligible. The Salt City Bowl will be played Saturday, December 1 at Gowans Stadium.

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