CORSICANA, Texas — No. 2 Hutchinson Community College opened the 2023 season with a bunch of new faces. Thirty-four players from last year's national championship runner-up team moved on to four-year schools.
Despite returning zero offensive starters, the Blue Dragons picked up where last year's team left off.
In 2022, then-No. 3 Hutchinson thumped then-No. 13 Navarro 42-0. It was the first time in 257 games that the Bulldogs went scoreless.
With new faces like quarterback Samari Collier and wide receiver Tre Richardson, the Dragons once again put up 42 points — after an inauspicious start.
The first two Dragon possessions went three-and-out before the third possession was squandered by penalties.
"We just needed the reps at it," coach Drew Dallas said of the slow start offensively. "We got a new group of guys, new quarterback, new offensive coordinator. There's a lot of 'new.' (Navarro) came out and showed us something a little bit different than we'd seen on film."
No. 11 Navarro got on the board first with an Eric Acosta 31-yard field goal. The seven-play, 41-yard drive was capped just six seconds into the second quarter.
Hutchinson answered with 14-straight points.
The Dragons capped a 14-play, 74-yard drive with a Brandon Epton Jr. five-yard rush.
With 1:36 left in the half, Tre Richardson hauled in a 57-yard bomb from Collier to put the Dragons up 14-3.
The deep ball was part of a 99-yard drive that took 4:12 off the clock.
Bulldog punter James Ingham had pinned Hutchinson at its own one-yard line, before the Dragons connected in the passing game.
Collier finished 12 of 16 for 160 yards and one touchdown. He connected with Tristan Smith on what was nearly a 14-yard touchdown. Smith battled to the goal line and lost the ball as he stretched for the score.
Fortunately, ManMan Singleton fell on the ball in the end zone to preserve the score. That touchdown was part of Hutchinson's 28 unanswered points to close the game.
After Navarro hit another 31-yard field goal in the third quarter to pull within 14-6, Richardson took the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to the house.
After the Singleton end-zone recovery, the Blue Dragons got a 32-yard scamper from Richardson, his third score of the night.
Richardson scored on a 57-yard reception, a 92-yard kickoff return and a 32-yard rush.
Jordy Scruggs finished the scoring with a 52-yard pick-six.
Hutchinson held Navarro to negative-six-yards rushing in the first half. Quarterback Dane Jentsch found some running room late against the third-stringers to finish with a team-leading 66 rushing yards.
Jentsch was just 15 of 36 for 146 yards and an interception. He was sacked four times.
The Dragons held the Bulldogs to 90 rushing yards and 236 total yards for the night.
"Our defensive effort was great all night long," Dallas said. "Even when (Navarro) had big plays, we were able to bounce back and hold them to field goals."
Meanwhile, the Dragon offense racked up 398 yards on 61 plays (6.5 yards per play).
The Bulldogs were held to 3.5 yards per play on 67 tries.
FINAL: Hutchinson 42 Navarro 6
Richardson finished with 93 receiving yards, 32 rushing yards (on one carry), 113 kick return yards and 30 punt return yards. He scored thrice.
Malik McConico led the defense with 5.5 tackles.
The Dragons (1-0) play at home on Sept. 2 against the Ellsworth Panthers (0-1). Kickoff has been moved up to 11 a.m. in Gowans Stadium.
CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app.
CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.