(Hutchinson CC Sports Information) NEWTON – Cold temperatures, wind and even a little sleet couldn't stop the No. 4-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's golf team from winning its third-straight Jayhawk Conference team championship on Tuesday at Sand Creek Station.
Hutchinson won the 2022 team championship with a 29-stroke victory over Garden City at the KJCCC Championship, the final of three league-designated tournaments. The league title was the 10th in team history.
The Blue Dragons won 2 of the 3 league-designated tournaments in 2022, scoring 27 team points to capture the team title. Dodge City was the conference runner-up with 24 points and Garden City was third with 22.5 points.
All-American Ben Partridge repeated as the KJCCC individual champion, winning the league title outright with 30.5 points. Partridge had one KJCCC tournament title with a runner-up and a fourth-place finish this season. Last season, Partridge shared the individual conference title with Charlie Crockett. A Blue Dragon golfer has won the KJCCC individual title for the third-straight year. Partridge is the 11th Blue Dragon to win or share a league individual season championship in program history.
Four Blue Dragons earned all-conference honors. Joining Partridge on the first team was All-American Harry Crockett, who was second in the standings with 25 points. Crockett won the individual title at Sand Creek Station by five strokes over Partridge. Freshman Blake Saffel was a second-team all-conference player and sophomore Addison Alonzo was on the honorable mention list.
The Blue Dragons posted a final-round 293 (5-over par) in tough scoring conditions to close the 54-hole tournament at 12-under 852. The Dragons had a 31-stroke lead after a second-round 272, the second-lowest team score on a par-72 course in team history.
Garden City finished second at Sand Creek station at 881. Dodge City was third at 885.
Crockett shot a final-round 73 on Tuesday and finished first in the final league tournament at 9-under 207. Partridge also shot a 73 and placed second in the tournament.
Saffel shot the low round for the Blue Dragons on Tuesday with a 2-under 70. Saffel finished seventh at 2-over 218.
Alonzo closed with a 78 on Tuesday, but still finished eighth at 5-over 221.
Freshman Dominic Clemons tied for 12th overall at 8-over 224 after a 75 on Tuesday.
The Blue Dragons now look to defend its NJCAA District III/Region VI titles next Monday and Tuesday at Lochland Country Club in Hastings, Nebraska.