Starting strong: Blue Dragons football wins season opener

By Greta Klein
Sports Editor

From the hustle and bustle of people entering Gowans Stadium to the rumbling music over the speakers to the multiple touchdowns, that only means one thing. Tis the season for Blue Dragon football.

Hutchinson Community College came into the season ranked No. 3 from NJCAA, just below Iowa Western and East Mississippi. Even though the Blue Dragons entered the season as No. 2 last year, that has not changed the mindset of this year’s team.

“There is a lot of preparation,” Blue Dragons coach Drew Dallas said. “Everything you do in the summer and in fall camp is in preparation for that first opportunity and first opponent.”

The Blue Dragons won with ease 42-10 against New Mexico Military to open the season on Aug. 29.

“I thought our composure as a football team was really good,” Dallas said. “The focus was on playing well and their jobs and assignments. I think throughout the season, that’s going to probably put us (up) in a big way.”

While scoring was not a problem for the Blue Dragons, there were some flaws like fumbles, interceptions, and penalties that happened throughout the game.

“My coach told me all week that something was gonna happen,” sophomore running back Waymond Jordan said. “It just happened to be the first play I got the ball and I fumbled. But my whole team just lifted me up and told me to just keep going, so I kept playing for them.”

Despite some mistakes, the team knows things can be cleaned up going forward into the season.

“There are times where we just need to get used to being back in the rhythm of the game and flow so we can avoid some silly penalties on things that we can control,” Dallas said.

Hutchinson’s next match-up will be against No. 1 Iowa Western on Saturday at Council Bluffs, Iowa. The Blue Dragons won 42-28 against the Reivers last year during the regular season.

The Blue Dragons aren’t worried or concerned about the Reivers, as the Blue Dragons’ focus has been on starting the season off right.

“We are trying to go 1-0 every weekend,” redshirt freshman quarterback Christian Johnson said. “That’s just the main goal right now.”

As preparations are being made leading up to Iowa Western, some aspects will need to be improved and adjusted to make sure that the Blue Dragons are 2-0.

“As a team, we have to be better about penalties and just being cleaner with execution,” Jordan said. “We all know it was a sloppy first game, but we all got our eyes on the second game and we are gonna be locked in.”

Dallas understands that scheduling Iowa Western earlier in the season than last year will be crucial, particularly with the team’s identity. The last few seasons, Hutchinson’s regular-season finale has been against Iowa Western.

“I think earlier in the year, we’re still trying to establish that identity on offense, defense, and special teams with both programs,” Dallas said. “So I think that will be a little bit that plays into it but at the end of the day, I mean it’s another game.”

Another focal point Dallas feels is important and impactful to the Blue Dragons is their focus.

“Our focus is always trying to find a way to be 1-0,” Dallas said. “The last couple of years, with it being the last game of the regular season, there has been a lot on the table and both programs have been playing their best brand of football.”

Even though Hutch and Iowa Western have gone back and forth in competition, the Blue Dragons see it as just a different game to show their talent.

“It’s another opportunity for us to go up there and make a statement,” Dallas said. “For our guys, it’s just about playing and having fun and cutting loose.”

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