🏈 Johnson, late TD lift No. 1 Hutchinson over No. 2 Iowa Western in thriller

By SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Christian Johnson found Derrick Salley Jr. for a 3-yard touchdown pass with just over a minute remaining, and No. 1 Hutchinson Community College escaped with a 30-27 victory over No. 2 Iowa Western on Saturday afternoon at Gowans Stadium in a rematch of last season’s NJCAA national championship game.

Johnson, who accounted for three touchdowns, led the Blue Dragons (2-0) on a seven-play, 87-yard drive in the closing minutes after Iowa Western’s Malachi Marshall gave the Reivers (1-1) a late lead with a 15-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter.

Hutchinson trailed 20-16 in the third quarter after Marshall connected with Cyrus Courtney for a 43-yard strike, but Jack Sells swung momentum with a rare 100-yard return of a blocked extra point. Johnson later punched in a 2-yard touchdown to put the Dragons back on top, 23-20.

Marshall threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns, including scores to DeAndre Horn and Jaivyn Moore, while adding 30 yards and a rushing touchdown. But the Reivers were turned away on downs in the final seconds after Hutchinson’s defense held near midfield.

Johnson completed 18 of 26 passes for 242 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while rushing for 68 yards and two scores. Salley Jr. was his top target with four catches for 106 yards, his first career 100-plus receiving yards game. Rashaud Hurt added 55 rushing yards, including a 40-yard touchdown burst in the second quarter.

Defensively, McPherson native Teegan Haines led Hutchinson with 12 tackles, while K.J. Henson Jr. added seven stops and 1.5 sacks. Kevin Moorer also recorded a sack, and M.J. Graham intercepted Marshall in the third quarter. For Iowa Western, Jerome Baker posted a game-high 13 tackles and Andy Burburija tallied two of the Reivers’ four sacks.

The teams were nearly even statistically — Hutchinson finished with 360 yards of offense to Iowa Western’s 343 — but the Blue Dragons overcame 14 penalties for 136 yards.

The Blue Dragons have won four straight against the Reivers — the longest streak any opponent has managed in Iowa Western’s 17-year program history.

Hutchinson will travel to Fort Dodge, Iowa next week to face No. 14 Iowa Central (2-0), while Iowa Western returns to Kansas to face Dodge City (0-1).