LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — No. 3 Iowa Western (10-2) scored touchdowns on its first two drives and never looked back Wednesday night in War Memorial Stadium.
No. 1 Hutchinson (11-1) just never got going.
The Dragons won the toss and deferred. On the fifth play of the game, Reiver quarterback James Graham hit L.J. Fitzpatrick on a little swing pass on the line of scrimmage.
Fitzpatrick took the ball 68 yards to the house.
On Hutchinson's first possession, an errant snap cost the Dragons 15 yards as quarterback Dylan Laible had to fall on the ball to avoid a turnover.
In a game that saw many near-turnovers, Hutchinson officially turned the ball over three times on four total fumbles.
Mr. Consistency, Dylan Kedzior, was finally held in check by a stingy Reiver defense. The KJCCC Offensive Player of the Year finished with 13 yards on 15 carries. He averaged 7.7 yards per tote coming into the championship game.
Dylan Laible, meanwhile, had trouble finding his target early. A throw to Malik Benson ended up on the back-shoulder. Benson, whose momentum was headed the other way, could not stop in time to reel in the catch.
When Laible started putting the ball on the money, Dragon receivers started dropping the ball.
Iowa Western scored again on a Jaden Koger 4-yard rush. The run capped a nine-play, 69-yard drive.
Kicker Sam Wilber tacked on a 31-yard field goal with 2:30 left in the first quarter to put Iowa Western up 17-0.
That would be the score headed into halftime, despite another called Reiver touchdown on a Graham 62-yard run up the gut.
Graham sprinted right through the Dragon defense and raced to the goal line. Just as he reached for pay dirt, Ja'Maric Morris swiped with his right hand and jarred the ball loose. It was recovered in the end zone by Javar Strong.
Officials called a touchdown on the play, which — pending the extra point — meant a 24-0 advantage for the Reivers.
The play was reviewed and overturned. Replay officials determined Graham lost the ball before his knee touched the turf and before the ball crossed the goal line.
Since Strong had the clear recovery, Hutchinson was awarded the ball on its own 20 after the touchback.
Still down 17, the Dragons looked poised to gain momentum.
Just four plays later, Jackson Filer stripped Tim Byrd Jr. of the football and the Reivers regained possession.
Wilber had a chance to add three points just before the half, but could not connect on a 33-yard field goal as the first half game clock expired.
Running back Bryant Williams scored once in the third and again in the fourth to close out scoring.
FINAL: Iowa Western 31 Hutchinson 0
This is the first shutout in the NJCAA Championship Game since 1992.
Iowa Western is now 5-3 all time against Hutchinson.
The Reivers are 2-2 in the title game while the Dragons fall to 1-1.
Both teams played in the championship in 2021. The Dragons defeated Snow in the spring and the Reivers lost to New Mexico Military in the fall.
Graham threw 4 of 10 for 116 yards (68 on one bubble screen) and ran for another 102 (62 on one play).
Iowa Western averaged 6.6 yards per play to Hutchinson's 2.3.
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