By STEVE CARPENTER -Hutchinson CC Sports Information
New Hutchinson Community College football coach Drew Dallas has been waiting for more than a year to coach his first game.
When the Blue Dragons and Coffeyville finally meet Friday night at Gowans Stadium, Dallasâ first game will be as the head coach of the preseason No. 1 team in the NJCAA Football Rankings.
Released on Monday, the Blue Dragons were atop the 2021 national rankings for the first time in program history.
This is only the second time in team history the Blue Dragons are No. 1 in the national rankings. Hutchinson spent five weeks at No. 1 in the 2019 season, a year where the Dragons finished 10-2 and ranked No. 3 in the final NJCAA poll.
Hutchinson, Iowa Western, Lackawanna, Kilgore and Garden City make up the Top 5. The Blue Dragons and Reivers wonât play this season with the shorted eight-game season because of Coronavirus protocols. Hutchinson and Garden City were tied in the Jayhawk Conference preseason coachesâ poll.
Hutchinson secured three of the six first-place votes. Iowa Western, Lackawanna and Butler each received one first-place vote.
Butler is No. 7 and Independence is No. 9 in the preseason rankings. Coffeyville was receiving votes.
The Blue Dragons open the new season on Friday against the Red Ravens at 7 p.m. at Gowans Stadium. Game 2 will take place on Saturday, April 3 at Butler.
NJCAA PRESEASON FOOTBALL RANKINGS
Points 1st-place votes
1. Hutchinson Community College 111 3
2. Iowa Western Community College 108 1
3. Lackawanna College 107 1
4. Kilgore College 84 0
5. Garden City Community College 82 0
6. Iowa Central Community College 82 0
7. Butler Community College - KS 76 1
8. Navarro College 75 0
9. Independence Community College 67 0
10. Snow College 50 0
Receiving Votes: New Mexico Military, ASA Miami, Trinity Valley, Coffeyville