By STEVE CARPENTER - Hutchinson CC Sports Information
PITTSBURG - Hutchinson Community College sophomore Erick Johnson became the fourth Blue Dragon All-American of the 2021 NJCAA Indoor Championships.
Johnson finished seventh on Saturday in the men's triple jump with a top leap of 46 feet, 5.5 inches. That jump came on his second attempt Saturday. Johnson was the only Blue Dragon to compete on the final day of the NJCAA Indoor Championships at Pittsburg State's Plaster Center. Johnson is the first Blue Dragon indoor triple jump All-American since Ryean Mastin in 2017.
Johnson's two points scored on Saturday gave the Blue Dragons 16.5 for the championship for a 13th-place finish. Hutchinson was the sixth-highest finishing Jayhawk Conference team. South Plains won the men's team title.
Johnson joins Teagan Flanagan and Zach Biel as 2021 Blue Dragon All-Americans. Flanagan was a first-team All-American as a national runner-up in the 5,000-meters on Friday. Flanagan was also a third-team All-American in the 3,000 meters. Biel was a third-team All-American, tying for fifth in the high jump.
Hutchinson has now had at least one indoor All-American in seven consecutive seasons.