CANYON, Texas — Listen back to the complete audio broadcast of the 2024 NJCAA DI Football National Championship Game between Hutchinson Community College and Iowa Western Community College on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas. The game was broadcasted on KHUT-FM and KWBW-AM/FM with Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (color analyst)

HutchCC defeated Iowa Western, 28-23, to claim its second national title in program history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734652034031.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CANYON, Texas — Listen back to the complete audio broadcast of the 2024 NJCAA DI Football National Championship Game between Hutchinson Community College and Iowa Western Community College on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas. The game was broadcasted on KHUT-FM and KWBW-AM/FM with Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (color analyst)HutchCC defeated Iowa Western, 28-23, to claim its second national title in program history.<div><iframe title="2024 NJCAA Football National Championship - HutchCC v Iowa Western" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ju8pn-177ae1d-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: NJCAA Championship Game rewind: HutchCC 28, IWCC 23

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Head coach Brandon Schneider and the Kansas women's basketball staff signed four prospects during the early signing period, including three who are currently ranked in the top 100 of the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.

KU's four-player class of Tatyonna Brown, Jaliya Davis, Libby Fandel and Keeley Parks is ranked as the No. 6 recruiting class in the ESPNW's post-signing window class rankings. Davis becomes the highest-ranked player that Kansas has signed during Schneider's tenure, coming in at No. 17 in the rankings, while Parks is also a five-star prospect ranked No. 29. Fandel is rated a four-star prospect at No. 44, while Brown is also a four-star and ranked just outside the top 100.

Davis, a 6-2 forward from Blue Valley North HS in Overland Park, Kansas, and Parks, a 5-11 guard from Norman HS in Norman, Oklahoma, were both named to the Naismith Trophy Girl's High School Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.

The Jayhawks recruiting class ranks as the highest-rated in Schneider's tenure. KU's class of 2023, which featured S'Mya Nichols, the No. 34 recruit in the class, and Laia Conesa was ranked No. 24 in the country.

Coach Brandon Schneider on the 2025 Recruiting Class:

"This recruiting class is the result of years of work that fortunately went our way. I think we've been involved in a lot of fierce recruiting battles through the years, some that we were really close on, and didn't succeed. It's nice when it all comes together like it did with this class. Success in recruiting is a team effort. We have a terrific staff, and our players are heavily involved and want to be involved in recruiting. I think we've really made a greater effort to recruit within driving distance of Lawrence, Kansas, and all four of these kids can jump in the car and get here. I think that they are drawn to our culture and the trajectory of our program, but I also think they see an opportunity to take it to new heights and to places that this program has never been."

Tatyonna Brown | F | 6-2 | Colorado Springs, Colo (Air Academy HS)

• Two-sport standout, competing in basketball and volleyball for Air Academy HS

• Averaging 13.2 points and 9.4 rebounds for her career

• Recorded 11 double-doubles as a junior, helping Air Academy to a 25-2 overall record and a state semifinal appearance

ESPNW Scouting Report: "Brown is a 6-2 lefty forward who is active in the paint and on the glass. She brings a physical presence to the floor and has upside potential with flashes of the perimeter shot."

Jaliya Davis | F | 6-2 | Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley North HS)

• Rated a five-star prospect and the No. 17 recruit in the country by ESPNW

• Top high school prospect in the state of Kansas and one of 50 prep seniors named to the Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Watch List

• Has led Blue Valley North HS to a 40-9 record over the past two seasons, including the 2023 Class 6A State Championship and a third-place finish in 2024

ESPNW Scouting Report: Davis is one of the best forwards in the 2025 class. She is an elite operator in the paint and extremely hard to keep off of the glass, with an advanced face up game and soft touch around the rim.

Libby Fandel | G | 6-1 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Xavier HS)

• Rated a four-star prospect and the No. 44 prospect in the class by ESPNW

• Has earned all-state honors in both volleyball (four times) and basketball (three), helping Xavier HS win state titles in each sport

• Averaged 24.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a junior and was named the conference player of the year

• Reigning Cedar Rapids Metro Area Girls Basketball Athlete of the Year

ESPNW Scouting Report: "Fandel is a multisport athlete with an all-around game. She can catch fire from the perimeter and moves well without the ball. She has that glue-like quality about her that impacts winning."

Keeley Parks | G | 5-11 | Norman, Okla. (Norman HS)

• Rated a five-star prospect and ranked as No. 29 in the country by ESPNW

• 2024 Gatorade Oklahoma Girls Basketball Player of the Year and one of 50 prep seniors named to the Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Watch List

• Named The Oklahoman's Super 5 Player of the Year and Big All-City First Team in 2024 ater averaging 26.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 5.6 steals per game

ESPNW Scouting Report: "Parks is an accomplished big guard with a strong frame. She has long range on her shot and finishes well around the rim with contact."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734622216346.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy KU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy KU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KU AthleticsLAWRENCE, Kan. — Head coach Brandon Schneider and the Kansas women's basketball staff signed four prospects during the early signing period, including three who are currently ranked in the top 100 of the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.KU's four-player class of Tatyonna Brown, Jaliya Davis, Libby Fandel and Keeley Parks is ranked as the No. 6 recruiting class in the ESPNW's post-signing window class rankings. Davis becomes the highest-ranked player that Kansas has signed during Schneider's tenure, coming in at No. 17 in the rankings, while Parks is also a five-star prospect ranked No. 29. Fandel is rated a four-star prospect at No. 44, while Brown is also a four-star and ranked just outside the top 100.Davis, a 6-2 forward from Blue Valley North HS in Overland Park, Kansas, and Parks, a 5-11 guard from Norman HS in Norman, Oklahoma, were both named to the Naismith Trophy Girl's High School Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.The Jayhawks recruiting class ranks as the highest-rated in Schneider's tenure. KU's class of 2023, which featured S'Mya Nichols, the No. 34 recruit in the class, and Laia Conesa was ranked No. 24 in the country.Coach Brandon Schneider on the 2025 Recruiting Class:"This recruiting class is the result of years of work that fortunately went our way. I think we've been involved in a lot of fierce recruiting battles through the years, some that we were really close on, and didn't succeed. It's nice when it all comes together like it did with this class. Success in recruiting is a team effort. We have a terrific staff, and our players are heavily involved and want to be involved in recruiting. I think we've really made a greater effort to recruit within driving distance of Lawrence, Kansas, and all four of these kids can jump in the car and get here. I think that they are drawn to our culture and the trajectory of our program, but I also think they see an opportunity to take it to new heights and to places that this program has never been."Class of 2025 Signees:Tatyonna Brown | F | 6-2 | Colorado Springs, Colo (Air Academy HS)• Rated a four-star prospect by ESPNW• Two-sport standout, competing in basketball and volleyball for Air Academy HS• Averaging 13.2 points and 9.4 rebounds for her career• Recorded 11 double-doubles as a junior, helping Air Academy to a 25-2 overall record and a state semifinal appearanceESPNW Scouting Report: "Brown is a 6-2 lefty forward who is active in the paint and on the glass. She brings a physical presence to the floor and has upside potential with flashes of the perimeter shot."Jaliya Davis | F | 6-2 | Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley North HS)• Rated a five-star prospect and the No. 17 recruit in the country by ESPNW• Top high school prospect in the state of Kansas and one of 50 prep seniors named to the Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Watch List• Has led Blue Valley North HS to a 40-9 record over the past two seasons, including the 2023 Class 6A State Championship and a third-place finish in 2024ESPNW Scouting Report: Davis is one of the best forwards in the 2025 class. She is an elite operator in the paint and extremely hard to keep off of the glass, with an advanced face up game and soft touch around the rim.Libby Fandel | G | 6-1 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Xavier HS)• Rated a four-star prospect and the No. 44 prospect in the class by ESPNW• Has earned all-state honors in both volleyball (four times) and basketball (three), helping Xavier HS win state titles in each sport• Averaged 24.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a junior and was named the conference player of the year• Reigning Cedar Rapids Metro Area Girls Basketball Athlete of the YearESPNW Scouting Report: "Fandel is a multisport athlete with an all-around game. She can catch fire from the perimeter and moves well without the ball. She has that glue-like quality about her that impacts winning."Keeley Parks | G | 5-11 | Norman, Okla. (Norman HS)• Rated a five-star prospect and ranked as No. 29 in the country by ESPNW• 2024 Gatorade Oklahoma Girls Basketball Player of the Year and one of 50 prep seniors named to the Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Watch List• Named The Oklahoman's Super 5 Player of the Year and Big All-City First Team in 2024 ater averaging 26.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 5.6 steals per gameESPNW Scouting Report: "Parks is an accomplished big guard with a strong frame. She has long range on her shot and finishes well around the rim with contact."

🏀 KU signing class is top 10

WICHITA, Kan. — Wichita State baseball was picked second in the 2025 American Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll, the highest preseason projection for the Shockers since joining the conference in 2017.

East Carolina topped the poll with 80 points, including eight first-place votes, while the Shockers garnered 72 points and the other two first-place nods. Defending American Athletic Conference tournament champion Tulane checked in at #3, followed by UTSA and Charlotte in the top half of the poll. Florida Atlantic, South Florida, UAB, Memphis and Rice round out the projections.

The Shockers have never been picked higher than fourth in the American preseason poll, a status they reached just once in the 2022 edition. Last season, Wichita State was picked seventh before finishing 32-29 (15-12) and tying for third in Brian Green's first season as head coach.

WSU and Tulane lead the way with four preseason All-Conference selections apiece. Wichita State catcher Mauricio Millan, first baseman Josh Livingston, second baseman Jordan Rogers and shortstop Camden Johnson were all recognized by the conference, with Millan as the unanimous selection behind the plate.

Millan put together another consistent season as Wichita State's primary starting catcher in 2024, making 56 total starts that included 40 at catcher. The El Paso, Texas native finished third on the team with a .301 batting average, smacking 10 doubles and two home runs while setting a new program and American Athletic Conference record with 24 hit by pitches. Millan recorded 15 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI contests, solidifying his reputation as one of the conference's most clutch hitters with a .371 batting average with runners in scoring position.

Livingston delivered one of the most impressive months in recent program history to buoy Wichita State's late-season surge. The rising senior went 11-for-33 in the month of May with three doubles, six home runs and 23 RBI in just nine games, highlighted by four homers in the conference tournament. For the season, Livingston hit .253 with five doubles, 11 home runs and 39 RBI, establishing a new program record with three pinch-hit home runs that included the program's first pinch-hit grand slam since 2016.

Rogers posted the best season of his career as Wichita State's regular second baseman in 2024. The versatile defender played in 60 games with 57 starts (52 at second base, four in right field, one in center field), hitting .296 with 12 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs and 41 RBI. Rogers tied for third in the American Athletic Conference in both triples and hit by pitches while leading the Shockers with 56 runs scored. He also put together an 18-game hitting streak from April 20-May 21, the longest by any Wichita State player in 2024.

Johnson burst onto the scene in 2024 as one of the region's most dynamic young players. The left-handed hitting infielder was named Second Team All-AAC and AAC All-Freshman Team as the only Shocker to start 60 games, 55 at third base and five at shortstop. Johnson led the team with a .326 batting average, adding 13 doubles, one triple, two home runs and 32 RBI while tying for the team lead with seven stolen bases in eight attempts.

2024 American Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll (First-place votes in parentheses)

C – Mauricio Millan, Sr., Wichita State*

1B – Josh Livingston, Sr., Wichita State

2B – Jordan Rogers, R-Sr., Wichita State

SS – Camden Johnson, So., Wichita State

DH – Rafael Betancourt, Jr., South Florida

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734621739902.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Wichita State AthleticsWICHITA, Kan. — Wichita State baseball was picked second in the 2025 American Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll, the highest preseason projection for the Shockers since joining the conference in 2017.East Carolina topped the poll with 80 points, including eight first-place votes, while the Shockers garnered 72 points and the other two first-place nods. Defending American Athletic Conference tournament champion Tulane checked in at #3, followed by UTSA and Charlotte in the top half of the poll. Florida Atlantic, South Florida, UAB, Memphis and Rice round out the projections.The Shockers have never been picked higher than fourth in the American preseason poll, a status they reached just once in the 2022 edition. Last season, Wichita State was picked seventh before finishing 32-29 (15-12) and tying for third in Brian Green's first season as head coach.WSU and Tulane lead the way with four preseason All-Conference selections apiece. Wichita State catcher Mauricio Millan, first baseman Josh Livingston, second baseman Jordan Rogers and shortstop Camden Johnson were all recognized by the conference, with Millan as the unanimous selection behind the plate.Millan put together another consistent season as Wichita State's primary starting catcher in 2024, making 56 total starts that included 40 at catcher. The El Paso, Texas native finished third on the team with a .301 batting average, smacking 10 doubles and two home runs while setting a new program and American Athletic Conference record with 24 hit by pitches. Millan recorded 15 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI contests, solidifying his reputation as one of the conference's most clutch hitters with a .371 batting average with runners in scoring position.Livingston delivered one of the most impressive months in recent program history to buoy Wichita State's late-season surge. The rising senior went 11-for-33 in the month of May with three doubles, six home runs and 23 RBI in just nine games, highlighted by four homers in the conference tournament. For the season, Livingston hit .253 with five doubles, 11 home runs and 39 RBI, establishing a new program record with three pinch-hit home runs that included the program's first pinch-hit grand slam since 2016.Rogers posted the best season of his career as Wichita State's regular second baseman in 2024. The versatile defender played in 60 games with 57 starts (52 at second base, four in right field, one in center field), hitting .296 with 12 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs and 41 RBI. Rogers tied for third in the American Athletic Conference in both triples and hit by pitches while leading the Shockers with 56 runs scored. He also put together an 18-game hitting streak from April 20-May 21, the longest by any Wichita State player in 2024.Johnson burst onto the scene in 2024 as one of the region's most dynamic young players. The left-handed hitting infielder was named Second Team All-AAC and AAC All-Freshman Team as the only Shocker to start 60 games, 55 at third base and five at shortstop. Johnson led the team with a .326 batting average, adding 13 doubles, one triple, two home runs and 32 RBI while tying for the team lead with seven stolen bases in eight attempts.2024 American Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll (First-place votes in parentheses)East Carolina (8) -- 80Wichita State (2) -- 72Tulane -- 63UTSA -- 55Charlotte -- 50Florida Atlantic -- 36South Florida -- 31UAB -- 27Memphis -- 21Rice -- 15Preseason Player of the YearMason Lytle, Sr., OF, UTSAPreseason Pitcher of the YearColin Daniel, Jr., UABPreseason All-Conference TeamP – Colin Daniel, Jr., UAB*P – Davion Hickson, Jr., RiceP – Luc Fladda, Sr., TulaneRP – Ethan Norby, So., East CarolinaRP – Jacob Moore, R-Jr., TulaneC – Mauricio Millan, Sr., Wichita State*1B – Josh Livingston, Sr., Wichita State2B – Jordan Rogers, R-Sr., Wichita StateSS – Camden Johnson, So., Wichita State3B – Gavin Schulz, Sr., TulaneOF – Carson Bayne, Sr., Charlotte*OF – Ryley Johnson, Sr., East CarolinaOF – Mason Lytle, Sr., UTSA*OF – Jackson Linn, Sr., TulaneDH – Rafael Betancourt, Jr., South Florida* denotes unanimous selection

⚾ Shockers picked 2nd in AAC

CANYON, Texas — Down 14 just halfway through the first quarter, No. 3 Hutchinson (11-1) found a way to capture its second national championship in program history Wednesday night.

Back-to-back national champion No. 1 Iowa Western (11-2) scored on its first two drives to build a 14-0 advantage with 6:49 left in the first frame.

Reiver quarterback Hunter Dekkers drove his team 93 yards in just nine plays on the first possession of the game. Dekkers capped the drive with a 27-yard pass to Keyon Brown.

Hutchinson went three-and-out and Davis Barr had his punt blocked. The Reivers recovered with a short field and capitalized on a free play.

The Dragon defense jumped offside and Dekkers hit Titus Myers on a 14-yard strike.

Dekkers finished the first half with 240 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-23 passing.

Hutchinson cut into the Iowa Western lead as the first quarter expired when Samari Collier completed his first pass of the contest to Ben Prosper for 26 yards.

Collier used that momentum on a 27-yard touchdown run just four plays into the second quarter.

A Max Bartachek 32-yard field goal gave Iowa Western a 17-7 halftime lead after a Nestus Burger field-goal attempt from 46 yards went wide right.

The Reivers drove to the Dragon 4, but had no timeouts left as the clock expired on the first half.

Hutchinson scored the next 21 points unanswered.

The Dragons opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 54-yard drive that was capped with a Collier 8-yard pass to Prosper.

Shortly after, Collier left the game with an ankle injury.

Christian Johnson entered the game at quarterback for Hutchinson and threw a dime for seven on just his second play from scrimmage.

"(You) always got to stay ready," coach Drew Dallas said of his team's next-man-up mentality. "It's two cranks of the arm and go."

Johnson dropped back and hit Tre Brown for a 34-yard score.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/e899514f-ba68-4685-9f9a-3680683a73e2">In the national semifinal, Johnson threw a touchdown pass on his first play from scrimmage.</a>

The play of the game came with 3:26 left in the third quarter.

Punt returner Kordell Gouldsby backpedaled to retrieve a Jonah Dupont punt. He found the opening he needed for a 73-yard house call.

The momentum-shifter put Hutchinson up 28-17 and was enough for Gouldsby to be named the game's most valuable player.

Hutchinson erased a double-digit lead and etched a double-digit lead of its own, but Iowa Western would not go away quietly.

Dekkers led the Reivers on another 93-yard drive. The 10-play drive was capped on a Brown reverse from 11 yards out.

Reiver head coach Scott Strohmeier kept his offense on the field for a two-point try. The attempt failed as Dekkers could not connect with receiver Fresh Walters.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5fff7a25-f22a-4f0b-a976-af3b3080d20f">It was the second time in as many meetings this season that a failed two-point attempt helped decide the outcome of the game.</a>

Up five, Hutchinson needed one last stop from its defense after a Nestus Burger 32-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.

Iowa Western drove the ball to its own 46 before facing a fourth down. On 4th-and-5, Dekkers found tight end Naivyan Cargill for 13 yards.

The Reivers moved the ball to the Hutchinson 5 before facing fourth down again.

Dekkers was looking for Cargill again when he was pressured by Dragon linebacker JaQuel Mack. The pass was broken up by Avian Rice.

"Play for the man beside you," Rice pleaded with his teammates at halftime when the Dragons were down 10, a sentiment Kedrick Walker reminded himself throughout the second half.

Walker, Mack and Rice combined for 18 tackles, a tackle for loss, two broken-up passes and three quarterback hurries.

Marshon Oxley lived in the Reiver backfield and registered three sacks.

FINAL: Hutchinson 28 Iowa Western 23

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/8ba9a62c-dd84-4116-9aff-34a3292317df">This is Hutchinson's second national title under Drew Dallas.</a>

Much like the first championship, Hutchinson had to erase a 14-point deficit.

The Dragon defense held Hunter Dekkers to 36.8% passing in the second half.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/2e1fac2d-1112-4724-baf2-89833c43d5da">National Player of the Year Waymond Jordan Junior was held to 79 yards rushing on 24 carries.</a>

Before his exit, Samari Collier threw for 80 yards on 6-of-16 passing and added 109 yards on the ground with two total touchdowns.

Christian Johnson's only completion in five attempts went for a 34-yard touchdown.

The Reivers went 3-of-3 on third down to begin the game but were held to 3-of-14 the rest of the contest.

Both of Iowa Western's losses this season came at the hands of Hutchinson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734591940207.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CANYON, Texas — Down 14 just halfway through the first quarter, No. 3 Hutchinson (11-1) found a way to capture its second national championship in program history Wednesday night.Back-to-back national champion No. 1 Iowa Western (11-2) scored on its first two drives to build a 14-0 advantage with 6:49 left in the first frame.Reiver quarterback Hunter Dekkers drove his team 93 yards in just nine plays on the first possession of the game. Dekkers capped the drive with a 27-yard pass to Keyon Brown.Hutchinson went three-and-out and Davis Barr had his punt blocked. The Reivers recovered with a short field and capitalized on a free play.The Dragon defense jumped offside and Dekkers hit Titus Myers on a 14-yard strike.Dekkers finished the first half with 240 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-23 passing.Hutchinson cut into the Iowa Western lead as the first quarter expired when Samari Collier completed his first pass of the contest to Ben Prosper for 26 yards.Collier used that momentum on a 27-yard touchdown run just four plays into the second quarter.A Max Bartachek 32-yard field goal gave Iowa Western a 17-7 halftime lead after a Nestus Burger field-goal attempt from 46 yards went wide right.The Reivers drove to the Dragon 4, but had no timeouts left as the clock expired on the first half.Hutchinson scored the next 21 points unanswered.The Dragons opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 54-yard drive that was capped with a Collier 8-yard pass to Prosper.Shortly after, Collier left the game with an ankle injury.Christian Johnson entered the game at quarterback for Hutchinson and threw a dime for seven on just his second play from scrimmage."(You) always got to stay ready," coach Drew Dallas said of his team's next-man-up mentality. "It's two cranks of the arm and go."Johnson dropped back and hit Tre Brown for a 34-yard score.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/e899514f-ba68-4685-9f9a-3680683a73e2">In the national semifinal, Johnson threw a touchdown pass on his first play from scrimmage.</a>The play of the game came with 3:26 left in the third quarter.Punt returner Kordell Gouldsby backpedaled to retrieve a Jonah Dupont punt. He found the opening he needed for a 73-yard house call.The momentum-shifter put Hutchinson up 28-17 and was enough for Gouldsby to be named the game's most valuable player.Hutchinson erased a double-digit lead and etched a double-digit lead of its own, but Iowa Western would not go away quietly.Dekkers led the Reivers on another 93-yard drive. The 10-play drive was capped on a Brown reverse from 11 yards out.Reiver head coach Scott Strohmeier kept his offense on the field for a two-point try. The attempt failed as Dekkers could not connect with receiver Fresh Walters.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5fff7a25-f22a-4f0b-a976-af3b3080d20f">It was the second time in as many meetings this season that a failed two-point attempt helped decide the outcome of the game.</a>Up five, Hutchinson needed one last stop from its defense after a Nestus Burger 32-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.The Reivers took over at their own 15.Iowa Western drove the ball to its own 46 before facing a fourth down. On 4th-and-5, Dekkers found tight end Naivyan Cargill for 13 yards.The Reivers moved the ball to the Hutchinson 5 before facing fourth down again.Dekkers was looking for Cargill again when he was pressured by Dragon linebacker JaQuel Mack. The pass was broken up by Avian Rice."Play for the man beside you," Rice pleaded with his teammates at halftime when the Dragons were down 10, a sentiment Kedrick Walker reminded himself throughout the second half.Walker, Mack and Rice combined for 18 tackles, a tackle for loss, two broken-up passes and three quarterback hurries.Marshon Oxley lived in the Reiver backfield and registered three sacks.FINAL: Hutchinson 28 Iowa Western 23<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/8ba9a62c-dd84-4116-9aff-34a3292317df">This is Hutchinson's second national title under Drew Dallas.</a>Much like the first championship, Hutchinson had to erase a 14-point deficit.The Dragon defense held Hunter Dekkers to 36.8% passing in the second half.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/2e1fac2d-1112-4724-baf2-89833c43d5da">National Player of the Year Waymond Jordan Junior was held to 79 yards rushing on 24 carries.</a>Before his exit, Samari Collier threw for 80 yards on 6-of-16 passing and added 109 yards on the ground with two total touchdowns.Christian Johnson's only completion in five attempts went for a 34-yard touchdown.The Reivers went 3-of-3 on third down to begin the game but were held to 3-of-14 the rest of the contest.Both of Iowa Western's losses this season came at the hands of Hutchinson.

🏈 Dragons capture second championship

AP Sports Summary for December 19th, 2024:

Texas-based Friedkin Group completes purchase of Premier League team Everton

The Texas-based Friedkin Group has completed its 98.8% purchase of Everton. Friedkin has added the storied Premier League club on Thursday to its wide-ranging portfolio of investments that includes Italian team Roma. It ends a long period of huge uncertainty at Everton. It is a nine-time English champion which has been an ever-present in the top division since 1954 but is without a major trophy since 1995. Fronted by Dan Friedkin and his son, Ryan, the group has investments in the automotive industry, entertainment, hospitality and sports. The Friedkins made a fortune distributing Toyotas in Texas. They take over from Everton's majority shareholder, Farhad Moshiri.

Brr! Winter adds an old-school challenge to the CFP. Visiting teams insist it's 'snow' problem

Besides first-round games at on-campus sites, the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff also serves up something now for this postseason: cold-weather northern venues as opposed to bowl games in warm, sunny climates. Whether that provides a home-field advantage for sixth-seeded Penn State, No. 7 seed Notre Dame and No. 8 Ohio State remains to be seen, but it's a factor southern schools such No. 11 SMU and No. 9 Tennessee must prepare for. Tenth-seeded Indiana only has to travel a couple hundred miles north to South Bend but December football will be new to the Hoosiers, especially at No. 7 seed Notre Dame.

Pro Picks: Eagles will cruise past the Commanders and Seahawks will upset the Vikings

The setup for two Christmas Day games means two games on Saturday in Week 16. They'll be potential playoff previews. Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs host C.J. Stroud and the AFC South champion Texans in the first game Saturday. Then, it's Russell Wilson and the Steelers visiting Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in a battle for the AFC North. Pro Picks likes the favorites in both matchups.

Notre Dame and Indiana get 1st taste of playoff football under the Friday night lights

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman and Indiana coach Curt Cignetti are football junkies at heart. They enjoy studying film, game prep and Saturday afternoons. They're also deeply fond of playing underneath the Friday night lights. They'll get a chance to relive that memory this week when the 10th-seeded Hoosiers visit the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish in the first Friday night game ever played at Notre Dame Stadium. Freeman will be making his playoff debut as a head coach. Cignetti has playoff experience at different college levels but is making his first appearance in the College Football Playoff.

College Football Playoff picks: SMU, Clemson, Vols, Hoosiers beware as CFP opens on campus

SMU could face the biggest adjustment playing in the cold in the College Football Playoff. A 10- to 15-mph northwest wind will make temperatures in the 20s feel like it's in the mid teens in State College, Pennsylvania, on Saturday for SMU's game against Penn State. Cold weather also is in the forecast for Indiana at Notre Dame and Tennessee at Ohio State. Temperatures in the 60s are expected for Clemson's game at Texas. For SMU, its game could be its coldest ever. The lowest temperature at kickoff for the Mustangs was 24 degrees for games in 2013 and 1983.

Red Bull picks Liam Lawson as Max Verstappen's F1 teammate in 2025

MILTON KEYNES, England (AP) — Formula 1 team Red Bull says Liam Lawson will be the partner for world champion Max Verstappen in 2025. Lawson is a New Zealander. He replaces Sergio Perez after the Mexican was dropped on Wednesday after months of poor results. The 22-year-old Lawson will switch from Racing Bulls, Red Bull's sister team, after racing as a replacement driver in 2023 and this year. He started in Red Bull's junior program. Lawson says it is a "lifelong dream" to be racing with Red Bull. He says "this is something I've wanted and worked toward since I was 8 years old."

Hajj-Malik Williams throws 2 TDs passes to help No. 24 UNLV beat Cal 24-13 in the LA Bowl

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Hajj-Malik Williams passed for two touchdowns, Kylin James ran for another and No. 24 UNLV pulled away in the second half for a 24-13 victory over California in the LA Bowl on Wednesday night. UNLV won a bowl game for the first time since 2000 and had its first 11-win season as an FBS program. Del Alexander, an assistant when UNLV last won a bowl game, was the interim head coach after Barry Odom departed forPurdue on Dec. 8. Cal, who hasn't had a winning season since 2019, were missing quarterback Fernando Mendoza and leading wide receiver Nyziah Hunter, after both entered the transfer portal.

Falcons' Cousins says he 'didn't forget how to play quarterback' after losing starting job to Penix

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — After losing his job as the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins is promising to support rookie Michael Penix Jr. Cousins threw nine interceptions with one touchdown in the past five games. The switch to Penix comes with the Falcons one game behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South as they prepare to play host to the New York Giants. The change wasn't a one-game decision, but Cousins insists he believes he can still start in the NFL. He said Wednesday he has not forgotten how to play the position.

Caitlin Clark's No. 22 to be retired during February ceremony at Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Caitlin Clark's No. 22 will be retired in a ceremony Feb. 2 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Clark finished her college career last season as the all-time leading men's or women's scorer in NCAA Division I history and is widely regarded as a transformational figure in the women's game. The flair of her game and long-distance 3-point shots spawned a legion of fans adorned in her No. 22 jersey at games both home and away. Clark grew up in the Des Moines area and said Iowa holds a place in her heart bigger than just basketball.

Vandy QB Diego Pavia wins injunction allowing him to play D-I football in 2025

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge granted Diego Pavia's request for a preliminary injunction allowing the quarterback to play the 2025 season and told the NCAA the organization cannot take any action against Vanderbilt or any other university that Pavia plays a fifth season for next year. U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell issued the injunction Wednesday after a hearing Dec. 4. The judge noted in his order filed with the injunction Vanderbilt's historic success with Pavia reaching its first bowl game since 2018 with wins over both Alabama and Auburn. Pavia sued the NCAA on Nov. 8 contesting the organization's rules limiting players who start at junior colleges to only four seasons.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Thursday, December 19th, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Thursday, December 19th, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for December 19th, 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8626411/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Texas-based Friedkin Group completes purchase of Premier League team EvertonThe Texas-based Friedkin Group has completed its 98.8% purchase of Everton. Friedkin has added the storied Premier League club on Thursday to its wide-ranging portfolio of investments that includes Italian team Roma. It ends a long period of huge uncertainty at Everton. It is a nine-time English champion which has been an ever-present in the top division since 1954 but is without a major trophy since 1995. Fronted by Dan Friedkin and his son, Ryan, the group has investments in the automotive industry, entertainment, hospitality and sports. The Friedkins made a fortune distributing Toyotas in Texas. They take over from Everton's majority shareholder, Farhad Moshiri.Brr! Winter adds an old-school challenge to the CFP. Visiting teams insist it's 'snow' problemBesides first-round games at on-campus sites, the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff also serves up something now for this postseason: cold-weather northern venues as opposed to bowl games in warm, sunny climates. Whether that provides a home-field advantage for sixth-seeded Penn State, No. 7 seed Notre Dame and No. 8 Ohio State remains to be seen, but it's a factor southern schools such No. 11 SMU and No. 9 Tennessee must prepare for. Tenth-seeded Indiana only has to travel a couple hundred miles north to South Bend but December football will be new to the Hoosiers, especially at No. 7 seed Notre Dame.Pro Picks: Eagles will cruise past the Commanders and Seahawks will upset the VikingsThe setup for two Christmas Day games means two games on Saturday in Week 16. They'll be potential playoff previews. Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs host C.J. Stroud and the AFC South champion Texans in the first game Saturday. Then, it's Russell Wilson and the Steelers visiting Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in a battle for the AFC North. Pro Picks likes the favorites in both matchups.Notre Dame and Indiana get 1st taste of playoff football under the Friday night lightsNotre Dame coach Marcus Freeman and Indiana coach Curt Cignetti are football junkies at heart. They enjoy studying film, game prep and Saturday afternoons. They're also deeply fond of playing underneath the Friday night lights. They'll get a chance to relive that memory this week when the 10th-seeded Hoosiers visit the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish in the first Friday night game ever played at Notre Dame Stadium. Freeman will be making his playoff debut as a head coach. Cignetti has playoff experience at different college levels but is making his first appearance in the College Football Playoff.College Football Playoff picks: SMU, Clemson, Vols, Hoosiers beware as CFP opens on campusSMU could face the biggest adjustment playing in the cold in the College Football Playoff. A 10- to 15-mph northwest wind will make temperatures in the 20s feel like it's in the mid teens in State College, Pennsylvania, on Saturday for SMU's game against Penn State. Cold weather also is in the forecast for Indiana at Notre Dame and Tennessee at Ohio State. Temperatures in the 60s are expected for Clemson's game at Texas. For SMU, its game could be its coldest ever. The lowest temperature at kickoff for the Mustangs was 24 degrees for games in 2013 and 1983.Red Bull picks Liam Lawson as Max Verstappen's F1 teammate in 2025MILTON KEYNES, England (AP) — Formula 1 team Red Bull says Liam Lawson will be the partner for world champion Max Verstappen in 2025. Lawson is a New Zealander. He replaces Sergio Perez after the Mexican was dropped on Wednesday after months of poor results. The 22-year-old Lawson will switch from Racing Bulls, Red Bull's sister team, after racing as a replacement driver in 2023 and this year. He started in Red Bull's junior program. Lawson says it is a "lifelong dream" to be racing with Red Bull. He says "this is something I've wanted and worked toward since I was 8 years old."Hajj-Malik Williams throws 2 TDs passes to help No. 24 UNLV beat Cal 24-13 in the LA BowlINGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Hajj-Malik Williams passed for two touchdowns, Kylin James ran for another and No. 24 UNLV pulled away in the second half for a 24-13 victory over California in the LA Bowl on Wednesday night. UNLV won a bowl game for the first time since 2000 and had its first 11-win season as an FBS program. Del Alexander, an assistant when UNLV last won a bowl game, was the interim head coach after Barry Odom departed forPurdue on Dec. 8. Cal, who hasn't had a winning season since 2019, were missing quarterback Fernando Mendoza and leading wide receiver Nyziah Hunter, after both entered the transfer portal.Falcons' Cousins says he 'didn't forget how to play quarterback' after losing starting job to PenixFLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — After losing his job as the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins is promising to support rookie Michael Penix Jr. Cousins threw nine interceptions with one touchdown in the past five games. The switch to Penix comes with the Falcons one game behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South as they prepare to play host to the New York Giants. The change wasn't a one-game decision, but Cousins insists he believes he can still start in the NFL. He said Wednesday he has not forgotten how to play the position.Caitlin Clark's No. 22 to be retired during February ceremony at Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye ArenaIOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Caitlin Clark's No. 22 will be retired in a ceremony Feb. 2 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Clark finished her college career last season as the all-time leading men's or women's scorer in NCAA Division I history and is widely regarded as a transformational figure in the women's game. The flair of her game and long-distance 3-point shots spawned a legion of fans adorned in her No. 22 jersey at games both home and away. Clark grew up in the Des Moines area and said Iowa holds a place in her heart bigger than just basketball.Vandy QB Diego Pavia wins injunction allowing him to play D-I football in 2025NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge granted Diego Pavia's request for a preliminary injunction allowing the quarterback to play the 2025 season and told the NCAA the organization cannot take any action against Vanderbilt or any other university that Pavia plays a fifth season for next year. U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell issued the injunction Wednesday after a hearing Dec. 4. The judge noted in his order filed with the injunction Vanderbilt's historic success with Pavia reaching its first bowl game since 2018 with wins over both Alabama and Auburn. Pavia sued the NCAA on Nov. 8 contesting the organization's rules limiting players who start at junior colleges to only four seasons.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	6	Philadelphia	4	Final	Toronto	5	Dallas	3	Final	Florida	6	Minnesota	1	Final	Anaheim	3	Winnipeg	2	Final OT	Utah	3	Vancouver	2	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(24)UNLV	24	California	13	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(6)Alabama	97	North Dakota	90	Final	(9)Marquette	80	Butler	70	Final	(11)UConn	94	Xavier	89	Final	(13)Gonzaga	102	Nicholls	72	Final	(14)Oklahoma	87	(24)Michigan	86	Final	(15)Houston	78	Toledo	49	Final	(21)Memphis	64	Virginia	62	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Charlotte	at	Washington	7 p.m.			Oklahoma City	at	Orlando	7 p.m.			Utah	at	Detroit	7 p.m.			Brooklyn	at	Toronto	7:30 p.m.			Chicago	at	Boston	7:30 p.m.			Atlanta	at	San Antonio	8 p.m.			Golden State	at	Memphis	8 p.m.			New Orleans	at	Houston	8 p.m.			L.A. Clippers	at	Dallas	8:30 p.m.			Indiana	at	Phoenix	9 p.m.			New York	at	Minnesota	9:30 p.m.			Denver	at	Portland	10 p.m.			L.A. Lakers	at	Sacramento	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE		New Jersey	at	Columbus	7 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Tampa Bay	7 p.m.			Los Angeles	at	Philadelphia	7:30 p.m.			Pittsburgh	at	Nashville	8 p.m.			Seattle	at	Chicago	8:30 p.m.			Boston	at	Edmonton	9 p.m.			Ottawa	at	Calgary	9 p.m.			Vancouver	at	Vegas	10 p.m.			Colorado	at	San Jose	10:30 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE		Denver	at	L.A. Chargers	8:15 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Thursday

CANYON, Texas — The Hutchinson Community College football team will meet Iowa Western Community College in the NJCAA DI football national championship game at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium on the campus of West Texas A&amp;M University.

The game will kickoff at 7:32 p.m. and can be heard locally on KHUT-FM (102.9) and KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) or online at <a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">Country1029.com</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KWBW2">kwbwradio.com</a>. Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (analyst) will provide the coverage from the Lone Star State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734544011922.jpeg" alt="Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Tex. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)" />
 <figcaption>Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Tex. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)</figcaption>
 </figure>CANYON, Texas — The Hutchinson Community College football team will meet Iowa Western Community College in the NJCAA DI football national championship game at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium on the campus of West Texas A&amp;M University.The game will kickoff at 7:32 p.m. and can be heard locally on KHUT-FM (102.9) and KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) or online at <a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">Country1029.com</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KWBW2">kwbwradio.com</a>. Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (analyst) will provide the coverage from the Lone Star State.

🏈🎧 LISTEN: National Championship - HutchCC vs. Iowa Western

CANYON, Texas — No. 3 Hutchinson (10-1) faces No. 1 Iowa Western (11-1) for the second time in three years for the national title.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/f8bdb1d9-1c6e-4634-8e7e-bfffa29f95b6">Two seasons ago, the Dragons defeated the Reivers in the regular season, but fell in the championship rematch.</a>

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5fff7a25-f22a-4f0b-a976-af3b3080d20f">This year, Hutchinson defeated Iowa Western in week two of the regular season.</a>

The Reivers have won back-to-back championships. The Dragons are appearing in their third championship in the last five seasons.

Join Sean Boston, Daren Dunn and Steve Carpenter as they chat with special guests ahead of the 7:32 p.m. kickoff from Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium on the campus of West Texas A&amp;M University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728769390111.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>CANYON, Texas — No. 3 Hutchinson (10-1) faces No. 1 Iowa Western (11-1) for the second time in three years for the national title.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/f8bdb1d9-1c6e-4634-8e7e-bfffa29f95b6">Two seasons ago, the Dragons defeated the Reivers in the regular season, but fell in the championship rematch.</a><a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5fff7a25-f22a-4f0b-a976-af3b3080d20f">This year, Hutchinson defeated Iowa Western in week two of the regular season.</a>The Reivers have won back-to-back championships. The Dragons are appearing in their third championship in the last five seasons.Join Sean Boston, Daren Dunn and Steve Carpenter as they chat with special guests ahead of the 7:32 p.m. kickoff from Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium on the campus of West Texas A&amp;M University.<div><iframe title="CTK SEG 1 NTL CHAMP" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=zpvdw-1773cc7-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><div><iframe title="CTK SEG 2 NTL CHAMP" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=x8c6g-176e47a-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><div><iframe title="CTK SEG 3 NTL CHAMP" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=v7kvr-176e491-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><div><iframe title="CTK SEG 4 NTL CHAMP" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=rxkv6-176e4a3-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🏈🎧 LISTEN: Countdown To Kickoff - National Championship

Hutchinson CC Sports Information&nbsp;

BLUE DRAGON FOOTBALL No. 3 Hutchinson (10-1) vs. No. 1 Iowa Western (11-1) 2024 Credit Union 1 NJCAA Division I Football Championship When: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 Where: Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium, Canyon, TX Kickoff: 7:32 p.m. Radio:&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT" target="_blank">KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5), 6:30 p.m. - Sean Boston (PBP); Daren Dunn (Analyst)</a> TV/Video: ESPNU, 7:30 p.m. - Chris Sylvester (PBP); John Kane (Analyst); Zach McKinstry (sidelines) X: @bluedragonsport <a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2024-25/files/Game_12_-_Iowa_Western.pdf">CLICK FOR FULL BLUE DRAGON GAME NOTES (PDF Format)</a>

For the fifth time in the last three seasons, the Hutchinson Community College football team will meet the Iowa Western Reivers - this time the teams will play for a national championship.

The No. 3-seeded Blue Dragons (10-1) and the No. 1 Reivers (11-1) will play in the 2024 Credit Union 1 NJCAA Division I Football Championship presented by Zurich Insurance. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18 at West Texas A&amp;M University's Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas.

The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and on sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) beginning at 6:30 p.m. with Sean Boston (PBP) and Daren Dunn (Analyst) calling the action.

The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU with Chris Sylvester (PBP), John Kane (Analyst) and Zach McKinstry (sidelines) on the call.

The Blue Dragons rolled into the national championship game - their third in the last five seasons - with a 63-21 semifinal victory at No. 2 Georgia Military on December 8 in Milledgeville, GA.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2024-25/bios/jordan_jr._waymond_h58l">Waymond Jordan Jr.</a>&nbsp;rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns,&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2024-25/bios/thomas_ja-cory_66d7">Ja'Cory Thomas</a>&nbsp;caught two touchdown passes and the Blue Dragon defense shut out the Bulldogs in the second half, holding Georgia Military to 69 yards in the final quarters.

Iowa Western will play in its fourth-straight national championship game and bids for a three-peat - the Reivers lost to New Mexico Military in 2021, defeated Hutchinson in 2022 and East Mississippi last year. The Reivers advanced to the finals this season after defeating Northwest Mississippi 42-21 on December 6 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Quarterback Hunter Dekkers was 17 of 30 passing for 174 yards. Running back Daniel Swinney rushed for 224 yards on 33 carries and two touchdowns to lead the Reivers in their semifinal.

The championship game will be a rematch between Hutchinson and Iowa Western of an instant classic played on September 7 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The Blue Dragons held on for a 38-37 victory in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup. The Reivers scored with 3 seconds remaining in regulation play. The Reivers went for two and missed preserving the Dragons' one-point win.

The Blue Dragons and Reivers are 5-5 all-time in series history.

The 2024 championship game will feature two National Player of the Year finalists in Hutchinson's Jordan and Iowa Western's Dekkers.

The Blue Dragons seek their second national championship in program history. Hutchinson defeated Snow College 29-27 in the 2020/21 national championship game on June 5, 2021 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734477869855.jpeg" alt="Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Tex. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)" />
 <figcaption>Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Tex. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports Information&nbsp;BLUE DRAGON FOOTBALL No. 3 Hutchinson (10-1) vs. No. 1 Iowa Western (11-1) 2024 Credit Union 1 NJCAA Division I Football Championship When: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 Where: Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium, Canyon, TX Kickoff: 7:32 p.m. Radio:&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT" target="_blank">KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5), 6:30 p.m. - Sean Boston (PBP); Daren Dunn (Analyst)</a> TV/Video: ESPNU, 7:30 p.m. - Chris Sylvester (PBP); John Kane (Analyst); Zach McKinstry (sidelines) X: @bluedragonsport <a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2024-25/files/Game_12_-_Iowa_Western.pdf">CLICK FOR FULL BLUE DRAGON GAME NOTES (PDF Format)</a>For the fifth time in the last three seasons, the Hutchinson Community College football team will meet the Iowa Western Reivers - this time the teams will play for a national championship.The No. 3-seeded Blue Dragons (10-1) and the No. 1 Reivers (11-1) will play in the 2024 Credit Union 1 NJCAA Division I Football Championship presented by Zurich Insurance. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18 at West Texas A&amp;M University's Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas.The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and on sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) beginning at 6:30 p.m. with Sean Boston (PBP) and Daren Dunn (Analyst) calling the action.The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU with Chris Sylvester (PBP), John Kane (Analyst) and Zach McKinstry (sidelines) on the call.The Blue Dragons rolled into the national championship game - their third in the last five seasons - with a 63-21 semifinal victory at No. 2 Georgia Military on December 8 in Milledgeville, GA.&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2024-25/bios/jordan_jr._waymond_h58l">Waymond Jordan Jr.</a>&nbsp;rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns,&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/fball/2024-25/bios/thomas_ja-cory_66d7">Ja'Cory Thomas</a>&nbsp;caught two touchdown passes and the Blue Dragon defense shut out the Bulldogs in the second half, holding Georgia Military to 69 yards in the final quarters.Iowa Western will play in its fourth-straight national championship game and bids for a three-peat - the Reivers lost to New Mexico Military in 2021, defeated Hutchinson in 2022 and East Mississippi last year. The Reivers advanced to the finals this season after defeating Northwest Mississippi 42-21 on December 6 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Quarterback Hunter Dekkers was 17 of 30 passing for 174 yards. Running back Daniel Swinney rushed for 224 yards on 33 carries and two touchdowns to lead the Reivers in their semifinal.The championship game will be a rematch between Hutchinson and Iowa Western of an instant classic played on September 7 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The Blue Dragons held on for a 38-37 victory in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup. The Reivers scored with 3 seconds remaining in regulation play. The Reivers went for two and missed preserving the Dragons' one-point win.The Blue Dragons and Reivers are 5-5 all-time in series history.The 2024 championship game will feature two National Player of the Year finalists in Hutchinson's Jordan and Iowa Western's Dekkers.The Blue Dragons seek their second national championship in program history. Hutchinson defeated Snow College 29-27 in the 2020/21 national championship game on June 5, 2021 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.

🏈 HutchCC and Iowa Western meet in NJCAA national championship

CANYON, Texas — No. 3 Hutchinson (10-1) and No. 1 Iowa Western (11-1) face off in the national championship for the second time in three years Wednesday night.

The Reivers are the back-to-back defending national champions while the Dragons are making their third appearance in the title game in five seasons.

"Getting here is not the ultimate goal," head coach Drew Dallas said of his team's third appearance in the national championship game in five years.

In their last appearance two seasons ago, the Dragons were blanked 31-0 by Iowa Western.

"(The goal) is to close this thing out and do it the right way," Dallas said.

"We got a chip on our shoulder," quarterback Samari Collier said. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/6216691d-173d-4728-93d7-471c365af090">The Dragons fell one game short of the national championship last year in a loss to East Mississippi.</a>

"It's another opportunity to display how good we are as a team," running back Waymond Jordan Junior said. Jordan Junior is currently second in season rushing touchdowns (20) and yards per rush (7.9) in Blue Dragon history.

Playing for a national championship "is really a dream come true," linebacker JaQuel Mack said. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/e899514f-ba68-4685-9f9a-3680683a73e2">Mack took a cleat to the chin in Hutchinson's semifinal win in Georgia.</a> Mack said the cleat slid under his facemask as he fell to the ground.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/f0478dd0-bdc2-4e7c-9326-166a54804af9">CLICK HERE FOR THE IOWA WESTERN PREVIEW</a>

Championship coverage begins Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m. with Countdown To Kickoff from Bain-Schaeffer Stadium in Canyon, Texas. Sean Boston, Daren Dunn and Steve Carpenter will have exclusive interviews with Drew Dallas, Scott Strohmeier and Josh Gooch ahead of the 7:32 p.m. kickoff.

<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">LISTEN LIVE BEGINNING DEC. 18 AT 6:30 PM!</a>

The game can be heard on <a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">Country 102.9</a> and <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW Radio</a> 1450 AM/98.5 FM.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734479070583.png" alt="Quarterback Samari Collier has thrown for 1,293 yards this season. He has 18 touchdowns and six interceptions." />
 <figcaption>Quarterback Samari Collier has thrown for 1,293 yards this season. He has 18 touchdowns and six interceptions.</figcaption>
 </figure>CANYON, Texas — No. 3 Hutchinson (10-1) and No. 1 Iowa Western (11-1) face off in the national championship for the second time in three years Wednesday night.The Reivers are the back-to-back defending national champions while the Dragons are making their third appearance in the title game in five seasons.FULL AUDIO AND VIDEO BELOW!"Getting here is not the ultimate goal," head coach Drew Dallas said of his team's third appearance in the national championship game in five years.In their last appearance two seasons ago, the Dragons were blanked 31-0 by Iowa Western."(The goal) is to close this thing out and do it the right way," Dallas said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734475271059.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734475495398.jpeg" alt="Blue Dragon head coach Drew Dallas addresses the media Tuesday afternoon. Dallas is 48-5 in his fifth season with the Dragons." />
 <figcaption>Blue Dragon head coach Drew Dallas addresses the media Tuesday afternoon. Dallas is 48-5 in his fifth season with the Dragons.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734475396487.jpeg" alt="Samari Collier has 1,293 passing yards and 515 rushing yards this season. He has 27 total touchdowns this year." />
 <figcaption>Samari Collier has 1,293 passing yards and 515 rushing yards this season. He has 27 total touchdowns this year.</figcaption>
 </figure>"We got a chip on our shoulder," quarterback Samari Collier said. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/6216691d-173d-4728-93d7-471c365af090">The Dragons fell one game short of the national championship last year in a loss to East Mississippi.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734475435567.jpeg" alt="Waymond Jordan Junior is 100 yards away from setting a Blue Dragon single-season rushing record. He enters the national championship with 1,533 yards on the ground." />
 <figcaption>Waymond Jordan Junior is 100 yards away from setting a Blue Dragon single-season rushing record. He enters the national championship with 1,533 yards on the ground.</figcaption>
 </figure>"It's another opportunity to display how good we are as a team," running back Waymond Jordan Junior said. Jordan Junior is currently second in season rushing touchdowns (20) and yards per rush (7.9) in Blue Dragon history.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734475464422.jpeg" alt="Linebacker JaQuel Mack has 56 tackles on the season, including a team-leading 31 solo tackles." />
 <figcaption>Linebacker JaQuel Mack has 56 tackles on the season, including a team-leading 31 solo tackles.</figcaption>
 </figure>Playing for a national championship "is really a dream come true," linebacker JaQuel Mack said. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/e899514f-ba68-4685-9f9a-3680683a73e2">Mack took a cleat to the chin in Hutchinson's semifinal win in Georgia.</a> Mack said the cleat slid under his facemask as he fell to the ground.<figure>
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 </figure><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHutchPost%2Fvideos%2F2077684735979240%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><div><iframe title="NJCAA National Championship Pregame Press Conference - Hutchinson" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=3bhgt-1776e4a-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/f0478dd0-bdc2-4e7c-9326-166a54804af9">CLICK HERE FOR THE IOWA WESTERN PREVIEW</a>Championship coverage begins Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m. with Countdown To Kickoff from Bain-Schaeffer Stadium in Canyon, Texas. Sean Boston, Daren Dunn and Steve Carpenter will have exclusive interviews with Drew Dallas, Scott Strohmeier and Josh Gooch ahead of the 7:32 p.m. kickoff.<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">LISTEN LIVE BEGINNING DEC. 18 AT 6:30 PM!</a>The game can be heard on <a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">Country 102.9</a> and <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW Radio</a> 1450 AM/98.5 FM.

🏈🎥📷 Championship Preview: No. 3 Dragons

"Our end goal every year is to be here," head coach Scott Strohmeier said of the national championship game.

"I think every single football player (would) be lying if they said this isn't where they want to be at the end of the year," quarterback Hunter Dekkers said.

"This team has persevered through a lot," safety Lucas Struck said. "The opportunity is there. We want to go finish this thing."

"It's big," tackle Omarion Davis said about being in the title game again. "Fighting together. Standing together. Playing for one another. We're back again. Trying to do it again," Davis said.

The game can be heard on&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">Country 102.9</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW Radio</a>&nbsp;1450 AM/98.5 FM.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/7da91f02-4f43-4dd4-9af6-e927d0e5cc04">CLICK HERE FOR HUTCHINSON'S PREVIEW!</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734474932954.jpeg" alt="Scott Strohmeier is coaching in his fourth-straight national championship. The Reivers have won back-to-back titles and Strohmeier is 50-6 in his last five seasons." />
 <figcaption>Scott Strohmeier is coaching in his fourth-straight national championship. The Reivers have won back-to-back titles and Strohmeier is 50-6 in his last five seasons.</figcaption>
 </figure>CANYON, Texas — No. 3 Hutchinson (10-1) and No. 1 Iowa Western (11-1) face off in the national championship for the second time in three years Wednesday night.The Reivers are the back-to-back defending national champions while the Dragons are making their third appearance in the title game in five seasons.FULL AUDIO BELOW!<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734475073229.jpeg" alt="Scott Strohmeier (left) is 153-29 in his 16th season with Iowa Western. He is the only head coach in the program's history. Quarterback Hunter Dekkers (right) has thrown for 3,413 yards this season." />
 <figcaption>Scott Strohmeier (left) is 153-29 in his 16th season with Iowa Western. He is the only head coach in the program's history. Quarterback Hunter Dekkers (right) has thrown for 3,413 yards this season.</figcaption>
 </figure>"Our end goal every year is to be here," head coach Scott Strohmeier said of the national championship game."I think every single football player (would) be lying if they said this isn't where they want to be at the end of the year," quarterback Hunter Dekkers said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734475125532.jpeg" alt="Safety Lucas Struck (left) leads the Reivers with 68 tackles this season. Tackle Omarion Davis (right) won a national championship at Iowa Western last season in Little Rock, Arkansas." />
 <figcaption>Safety Lucas Struck (left) leads the Reivers with 68 tackles this season. Tackle Omarion Davis (right) won a national championship at Iowa Western last season in Little Rock, Arkansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>"This team has persevered through a lot," safety Lucas Struck said. "The opportunity is there. We want to go finish this thing.""It's big," tackle Omarion Davis said about being in the title game again. "Fighting together. Standing together. Playing for one another. We're back again. Trying to do it again," Davis said.<div><iframe title="NJCAA National Championship Pregame Press Conference - Iowa Western" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=vwqei-1776e31-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Championship coverage begins Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m. with Countdown To Kickoff from Bain-Schaeffer Stadium in Canyon, Texas. Sean Boston, Daren Dunn and Steve Carpenter will have exclusive interviews with Drew Dallas, Scott Strohmeier and Josh Gooch ahead of the 7:32 p.m. kickoff.<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">LISTEN LIVE BEGINNING DEC. 18 AT 6:30 PM!</a>The game can be heard on&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">Country 102.9</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW Radio</a>&nbsp;1450 AM/98.5 FM.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/7da91f02-4f43-4dd4-9af6-e927d0e5cc04">CLICK HERE FOR HUTCHINSON'S PREVIEW!</a>

🏈🎥📷 Championship Preview: No. 1 Reivers

Hutchinson Community College forward Hailey Jackson has been named the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Player of the Week on Wednesday.

The sophomore forward from Tulsa, Oklahoma, had a tremendous final week of the first semester for the No. 1 Blue Dragons. A week that included a double-double against Cloud County and sinking three free throws in the final second to help Hutchinson avert an upset bid by Garden City.

For the week, Jackson averaged 24.0 points per game while shooting 56.0 percent overall and 5-of-9 from 3-point range and 15 of 18 from the foul line in addition to grabbing 9.0 rebounds per game.

Against Garden City, Jackson had 25 points and went a perfect 12 of 12 from the foul line, including three free throws to tie and take the lead with 1.5 seconds remaining in a 46-45 win.

Against Cloud County, Jackson had her fifth double-double of the season with 23 points and 10 rebounds in a 77-53 road victory.

Jackson is the first Blue Dragon to earn NJCAA national weekly honors since Kiki Smith did so last season. This is the fourth-straight season that a Blue Dragon player has earned national weekly honors.

The Blue Dragons are on holiday break and will return to action on Saturday, January 4 against Cowley at the Sports Arena in a 2 p.m. tipoff.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734545403424.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy HutchCC Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy HutchCC Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationHutchinson Community College forward Hailey Jackson has been named the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Player of the Week on Wednesday.The sophomore forward from Tulsa, Oklahoma, had a tremendous final week of the first semester for the No. 1 Blue Dragons. A week that included a double-double against Cloud County and sinking three free throws in the final second to help Hutchinson avert an upset bid by Garden City.For the week, Jackson averaged 24.0 points per game while shooting 56.0 percent overall and 5-of-9 from 3-point range and 15 of 18 from the foul line in addition to grabbing 9.0 rebounds per game.Against Garden City, Jackson had 25 points and went a perfect 12 of 12 from the foul line, including three free throws to tie and take the lead with 1.5 seconds remaining in a 46-45 win.Against Cloud County, Jackson had her fifth double-double of the season with 23 points and 10 rebounds in a 77-53 road victory.Jackson is the first Blue Dragon to earn NJCAA national weekly honors since Kiki Smith did so last season. This is the fourth-straight season that a Blue Dragon player has earned national weekly honors.The Blue Dragons are on holiday break and will return to action on Saturday, January 4 against Cowley at the Sports Arena in a 2 p.m. tipoff.

🏀 HutchCC's Jackson named National Player of the Week

LAWRENCE, Kan. —On Wednesday, the AVCA announced that Kansas volleyball standouts Camryn Turner and Toyosi Onabanjo were named 2024 AVCA All-Americans. Turner collected third team honors, while Onabanjo was named to the honorable mention list. 

Turner, the Big 12 assists/set leader, earned second-consecutive First Team All-Big 12 and First Team AVCA All-Region awards. The senior out of Topeka was also No. 3 in the NCAA for the majority of the season in assists/set, ending with an 11.29 average. She was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week once this season, and was an AVCA National Player of the Year semifinalist for the first time in her career.

After Kansas, Turner headed to Michigan to begin her professional volleyball career, as she was the first of three setters to be drafted in this year's PVF draft. She went to the Grand Rapids Rise in the third round as the No. 22 pick overall. 

Last season, Turner was an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention selection. 

Onabanjo secured her first-career AVCA All-Region accolade, as well as her first Big 12 postseason award when she was named to the first team. She ended the regular season with the third-best hitting percentage in the Big 12 at .399. The Houston native also posted the No. 4 block average in the conference with 1.21 blocks per set.

When the AVCA first announced their Player of the Year Watchlist, Onabanjo was named to that early season group with her counterpart Turner. Onabanjo was drafted in the first round of the PVF draft as the No. 8 pick overall, and she will head to Omaha to play for the league-leading Supernovas. 

This is Onabanjo's first-career All-American recognition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734544090980.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy KU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy KU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. —On Wednesday, the AVCA announced that Kansas volleyball standouts Camryn Turner and Toyosi Onabanjo were named 2024 AVCA All-Americans. Turner collected third team honors, while Onabanjo was named to the honorable mention list. Turner, the Big 12 assists/set leader, earned second-consecutive First Team All-Big 12 and First Team AVCA All-Region awards. The senior out of Topeka was also No. 3 in the NCAA for the majority of the season in assists/set, ending with an 11.29 average. She was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week once this season, and was an AVCA National Player of the Year semifinalist for the first time in her career.After Kansas, Turner headed to Michigan to begin her professional volleyball career, as she was the first of three setters to be drafted in this year's PVF draft. She went to the Grand Rapids Rise in the third round as the No. 22 pick overall. Last season, Turner was an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention selection. Onabanjo secured her first-career AVCA All-Region accolade, as well as her first Big 12 postseason award when she was named to the first team. She ended the regular season with the third-best hitting percentage in the Big 12 at .399. The Houston native also posted the No. 4 block average in the conference with 1.21 blocks per set.When the AVCA first announced their Player of the Year Watchlist, Onabanjo was named to that early season group with her counterpart Turner. Onabanjo was drafted in the first round of the PVF draft as the No. 8 pick overall, and she will head to Omaha to play for the league-leading Supernovas. This is Onabanjo's first-career All-American recognition.

🏐 Turner, Onabanjo named AVCA All-Americans

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Three legendary Jayhawks - John Hadl, Gale Sayers and Mike McCormack were named to the East-West Shrine Bowl All-Century Team on Tuesday, as part of the East-West Shrine Bowl 100-year celebration at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

The East-West Shrine Bowl is celebrating its 100th year in 2025 and is the longest-running college all-star football game in the nation. The 100-year celebration features an exhibit and panel discussion at the College Football Hall of Fame taking place on Tuesday, as well as the East-West Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame on Jan. 29, 2025, culminating in the 100th East-West Shrine Bowl at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 30, 2025. For more information on the East-West Shrine Bowl, click here.

Hadl and Sayers are members of the College Football Hall of Fame, while Sayers and McCormack are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. All three played legendary careers at the University of Kansas, where they are all members of the Kansas Football Ring of Honor.

An inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame (1994), Hadl was the first Kansas player to be picked twice for All-America honors (1960 and 1961). He was also named the Most Valuable Player of both the East-West Shrine game and the College All-Star game after the 1961 season.

Hadl then enjoyed a successful 16-year career as a professional quarterback, most notably with the San Diego Chargers. A six-time Pro Bowler, he played in three American Football League Championship games and was named National Football Conference Player of the Year in 1973.  He was named the 1971 National Football League Man of the Year and is a member of the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame. Hadl was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft.

Sayers, the "Kansas Comet," established himself throughout his collegiate and professional career as one of the great running backs in the history of football. A two-time All-America selection for the Jayhawks, Sayers concluded his KU career with 2,675 yards rushing and 3,917 all-purpose yards. Sayers led KU in rushing, touchdowns and kickoff returns all three years he was in the lineup. He also led the team in receiving and punt returns as a junior and senior.

Sayers became the first player in NCAA Division IA history to record a 99-yard run when he broke loose against Nebraska in Lincoln during the 1963 season. He also had a 96-yard kickoff return in a 15-14 upset of Oklahoma his senior season. Sayers was a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears (and Kansas City Chiefs). He led the league in rushing in 1966 and 1969. He retired in 1972 with a career total of 4,956 rushing yards. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977 at age 34, the youngest person ever selected.

McCormack, one of KU's greatest offensive tackles, was named an All-Big Seven lineman as a junior and senior and was a member of the league's all-sophomore team in 1948. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. He began his pro football career with the NFL's 1951 New York Yanks, where as a rookie he earned the starting right tackle spot. That year he earned the first of six trips to the Pro Bowl, before being called into military service.

McCormack was the Cleveland Browns' offensive right tackle for eight years from 1955 through 1962. During that period, the Browns' forward wall played a major role in assuring a balanced offensive approach and McCormack, equally adept as a blocker on rushing plays and as a quarterback protector, was a stabilizing factor throughout the period.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734526516032.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy KU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy KU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KU AthleticsLAWRENCE, Kan. — Three legendary Jayhawks - John Hadl, Gale Sayers and Mike McCormack were named to the East-West Shrine Bowl All-Century Team on Tuesday, as part of the East-West Shrine Bowl 100-year celebration at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.The East-West Shrine Bowl is celebrating its 100th year in 2025 and is the longest-running college all-star football game in the nation. The 100-year celebration features an exhibit and panel discussion at the College Football Hall of Fame taking place on Tuesday, as well as the East-West Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame on Jan. 29, 2025, culminating in the 100th East-West Shrine Bowl at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 30, 2025. For more information on the East-West Shrine Bowl, click here.Hadl and Sayers are members of the College Football Hall of Fame, while Sayers and McCormack are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. All three played legendary careers at the University of Kansas, where they are all members of the Kansas Football Ring of Honor.An inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame (1994), Hadl was the first Kansas player to be picked twice for All-America honors (1960 and 1961). He was also named the Most Valuable Player of both the East-West Shrine game and the College All-Star game after the 1961 season.Hadl then enjoyed a successful 16-year career as a professional quarterback, most notably with the San Diego Chargers. A six-time Pro Bowler, he played in three American Football League Championship games and was named National Football Conference Player of the Year in 1973. He was named the 1971 National Football League Man of the Year and is a member of the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame. Hadl was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft.Sayers, the "Kansas Comet," established himself throughout his collegiate and professional career as one of the great running backs in the history of football. A two-time All-America selection for the Jayhawks, Sayers concluded his KU career with 2,675 yards rushing and 3,917 all-purpose yards. Sayers led KU in rushing, touchdowns and kickoff returns all three years he was in the lineup. He also led the team in receiving and punt returns as a junior and senior.Sayers became the first player in NCAA Division IA history to record a 99-yard run when he broke loose against Nebraska in Lincoln during the 1963 season. He also had a 96-yard kickoff return in a 15-14 upset of Oklahoma his senior season. Sayers was a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears (and Kansas City Chiefs). He led the league in rushing in 1966 and 1969. He retired in 1972 with a career total of 4,956 rushing yards. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977 at age 34, the youngest person ever selected.McCormack, one of KU's greatest offensive tackles, was named an All-Big Seven lineman as a junior and senior and was a member of the league's all-sophomore team in 1948. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. He began his pro football career with the NFL's 1951 New York Yanks, where as a rookie he earned the starting right tackle spot. That year he earned the first of six trips to the Pro Bowl, before being called into military service.McCormack was the Cleveland Browns' offensive right tackle for eight years from 1955 through 1962. During that period, the Browns' forward wall played a major role in assuring a balanced offensive approach and McCormack, equally adept as a blocker on rushing plays and as a quarterback protector, was a stabilizing factor throughout the period.

🏈 Three Jayhawks are All-Century, according to Shrine Bowl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Junior Bennett Stirtz's 3-pointer with 4 seconds left in overtime spoiled Kansas State's spirited comeback, as Drake remained unbeaten with a 73-70 overtime win in the 13th Wildcat Classic on Tuesday night before 9,210 fans at the T-Mobile Center.

Down by as many as 20 points in the first half, K-State (6-4) rallied to take the lead with 9:04 remaining on a layup by senior David N'Guessan. The Wildcats led 60-57 with 4:32 to play before the Bulldogs (10-0) tied it at 63-all with 23 seconds remaining to force overtime.

In the extra session, Drake jumped out to a 70-64 lead with less than 2 minutes left before K-State once again rallied to tie it at 70-all on a 3-pointer by senior Coleman Hawkins with 13 seconds. However, on the ensuing possession, Stirtz connected on the game-winning 3-pointer with 4 seconds to play before senior Max Jones' desperation 3-pointer was off the mark at the buzzer.

The loss was the first in overtime in head coach Jerome Tang's coaching career (13-1), including his first at K-State (12-1). He was a perfect 13-0 in his head coaching career prior to tonight's extra-session loss, which included one overtime win as interim head coach at Baylor in 2013 to go with 12 while at K-State (2022-present).

Hawkins was one of four Wildcats to score in double figures with a team-high 16 points on 6-of-9 field goals to go with 5 rebounds and team-highs in assists (5), steals (4) and blocks (2). He has now registered at least 4 assists and 2 steals in 7 of 10 games this season, while he has grabbed 5 or more rebounds on 7 occasions and has had 4 games of at least 2 blocks.

Hawkins was joined in double figures by senior David N'Guessan (13 points), senior Max Jones (12 points) and junior Dug McDaniel (10 points). N'Guessan has now scored in double figures in 11 consecutive games dating back to last season, including all 10 this season.

For the game, the Wildcats connected on 50 percent (26-of-52) from the field, including 38 points in the paint, while hitting on 33.3 percent (7-of-21) from 3-point range and 55 percent (11-of-20) from the free throw line. The team had 21 assists on 26 made field goals.

Drake hit on 49 percent (24-of-49) of its field goals, including 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from 3-point range, and made 16 of 22 attempts (72.7 percent) from the free throw line.

Stirtz finished with 22 points, while fellow transfer Mitch Mascari added a game-high 25 points, as he converted on 8-of-11 field goals, including 8-of-10 from beyond the arc. They were joined in double figures by sophomore Cam Manyawu, who added 11 points. Graduate Isaiah Jackson led the way with team-highs in assists (8) and rebounds (8).

K-State will conclude non-conference play on Saturday night, as the Wildcats travel to Wichita, Kan., to take on in-state rival Wichita State (8-2) at Koch Arena. Tip is set for 6 p.m., CT on ESPN+. This will be the final game in a 4-game series that began in 2021.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734526337818.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>K-State AthleticsKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Junior Bennett Stirtz's 3-pointer with 4 seconds left in overtime spoiled Kansas State's spirited comeback, as Drake remained unbeaten with a 73-70 overtime win in the 13th Wildcat Classic on Tuesday night before 9,210 fans at the T-Mobile Center.Down by as many as 20 points in the first half, K-State (6-4) rallied to take the lead with 9:04 remaining on a layup by senior David N'Guessan. The Wildcats led 60-57 with 4:32 to play before the Bulldogs (10-0) tied it at 63-all with 23 seconds remaining to force overtime.In the extra session, Drake jumped out to a 70-64 lead with less than 2 minutes left before K-State once again rallied to tie it at 70-all on a 3-pointer by senior Coleman Hawkins with 13 seconds. However, on the ensuing possession, Stirtz connected on the game-winning 3-pointer with 4 seconds to play before senior Max Jones' desperation 3-pointer was off the mark at the buzzer.The loss was the first in overtime in head coach Jerome Tang's coaching career (13-1), including his first at K-State (12-1). He was a perfect 13-0 in his head coaching career prior to tonight's extra-session loss, which included one overtime win as interim head coach at Baylor in 2013 to go with 12 while at K-State (2022-present).Hawkins was one of four Wildcats to score in double figures with a team-high 16 points on 6-of-9 field goals to go with 5 rebounds and team-highs in assists (5), steals (4) and blocks (2). He has now registered at least 4 assists and 2 steals in 7 of 10 games this season, while he has grabbed 5 or more rebounds on 7 occasions and has had 4 games of at least 2 blocks.Hawkins was joined in double figures by senior David N'Guessan (13 points), senior Max Jones (12 points) and junior Dug McDaniel (10 points). N'Guessan has now scored in double figures in 11 consecutive games dating back to last season, including all 10 this season.For the game, the Wildcats connected on 50 percent (26-of-52) from the field, including 38 points in the paint, while hitting on 33.3 percent (7-of-21) from 3-point range and 55 percent (11-of-20) from the free throw line. The team had 21 assists on 26 made field goals.Drake hit on 49 percent (24-of-49) of its field goals, including 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from 3-point range, and made 16 of 22 attempts (72.7 percent) from the free throw line.Stirtz finished with 22 points, while fellow transfer Mitch Mascari added a game-high 25 points, as he converted on 8-of-11 field goals, including 8-of-10 from beyond the arc. They were joined in double figures by sophomore Cam Manyawu, who added 11 points. Graduate Isaiah Jackson led the way with team-highs in assists (8) and rebounds (8).K-State will conclude non-conference play on Saturday night, as the Wildcats travel to Wichita, Kan., to take on in-state rival Wichita State (8-2) at Koch Arena. Tip is set for 6 p.m., CT on ESPN+. This will be the final game in a 4-game series that began in 2021.