Courtesy of Hutchinson CC Sports Information
NEWTON – The Hutchinson Community College men’s golf team made team history on Tuesday by winning a fifth-straight Jayhawk Conference team championship.
The No. 5-ranked Blue Dragons finished second in Tuesday’s weather-shortened Jayhawk Championship, the third of three league-designated tournaments. The season team and individual champions are decided by points accumulated by performances in those three tournaments.
With two first-place team titles and a second-place showing this week, the Blue Dragons accumulated 26.5 team points for the 2024 season championship, edging Dodge City, which scored 26 points after two second-place showing and Tuesday’s team title.
The Blue Dragons had two streaks of four-straight league titles – the current streak from 2019-2023 (the 2020 season was canceled because Coronavirus pandemic) and 2008 to 2011. The 2024 team added to the current streak to break that tie.
Hutchinson has now accumulated 12 KJCCC team championships, all under head coach Chris Young.
Four Blue Dragon players earned all-conference honors in 2024.
Freshmen Charlie Box and David Razinskas earned first-team honors. Box was second in the individual standings with 26.5 points after finishes of second, first and a tie for fifth in the league tournaments. Razinskas was fifth in the standings with 18.25 points, accumulating places of third, third and a tie for eighth.
Redshirt freshman Louis Ross earned second-team honors with a 10th-place season performance. Ross finished with 7.75 points. Marco Anderson was an honorable mention player after finishing 12th in the league standings with 4 points.
Playing in much friendlier weather conditions than Monday’s gusty 40 mph wins; the Blue Dragons posted a 3-under 285 on Tuesday. The Dragons entered the final round trailing Dodge City by five strokes after Monday’s weather-inflated 319.
Dodge City went low in Tuesday’s improved conditions, posting a 12-under 276 in the final 18 points to defeat the Blue Dragons 588-602. Garden City was third at 616 (322-294). The Blue Dragons counted scores of 70 from Box, 71 from Razinskas and Anderson and 73 from Ross.
The Blue Dragons had two players finish in the tournament’s Top 10.
Box tied for sixth in the Jayhawk Championship at 150 (80-70). Razinskas tied for eighth at 151 (80-71).
Ross placed 13th at 153 (80-73). Anderson and Keaton Thissen tied for 14th at 154. Anderson had rounds of 83 and 71, while Thissen had a pair of 77s.
Blue Dragon individual Brooks Sauder placed 37th overall with a 166, carding rounds of 90 and 76.
Dodge City’s Arthit Kruaprayong rallied to win the tournament title and take KJCCC Player of the Year honors. After a Monday round of 80, Kruaprayong blistered Sand Creek Station with a 64 on Tuesday to win the tournament by one stroke at 144.
The Blue Dragons will now travel to the Plains District/Region VI Tournament next Monday and Tuesday at Tiffany Greens Golf Club in Kansas City, Missouri.