Box Score HUTCHINSON, KS - The Hinds Community College football team (8-4, 5-1 conf.) closed out their impressive 2021 campaign with a 66-34 loss to the Hutchinson Blue Dragons (Hutch) in the Salt City Bowl Saturday.

This berth in the Salt City Bowl was the second invitation for the Eagles in three seasons, with the most recent game being the Graphic Edge Bowl in Cedar Falls, Iowa in 2019.

"This was an awesome season," said head coach Larry Williams. "We got to watch a very young team grow up, and I hope we can make another big push in the postseason next year."

The Salt City Bowl was a high scoring affair from the opening kick, when the Blue Dragons scored on their fourth play of their opening drive, a 33-yard pass from Dylan Laible to Cortez Braham. Hinds would eventually answer this score with one of their own, a 21-yard touchdown toss from Ruben Lee II (Moss Point) to Jaiden Burns (Canton). Setting up the score was a fumble recovery by the Eagles. Forcing the fumble was sophomore defensive lineman Jaylan Ware (Starkville).

This touchdown pass was one of three touchdowns scored for the Eagles in the first quarter. The other two scores came on two runs by the Region XXIII MVP Jeffrey Pittman (Taylorsville). Both scores came from 48 and 29 yards out. Pittmans has another stellar performance, finishing with 26 rushes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. The Blue Dragons would lead 28-21 at the end of the opening quarter.

The second quarter of play got off to a hot start when Ruben Lee II found Tabashi Thomas (Douglasville, Ga.) for an 85-yard touchdown. This would be the only points scored by Hinds in the second quarter. Hutch would go on to score 10 points on a 39-yard field goal by C.J. Moya and a Hail Mary touchdown pass from Dylan Laible to Malik Benson as time expired in the first half.

A notable play for the Eagles on defense in the second quarter would be an interception made by sophomore linebacker Anthony Bullock (Hattiesburg). At the half, Hutch lead 38-28.

The Eagles would be held scoreless in the third quarter, while Hutch would go on to score two touchdowns, a 56-yard run by Dylan Kedzior and a 6-yard run by Tye Edwards. The score was 52-28 in favor of the Blue Dragons with one quarter to play.

Hinds would find the end zone once in the fourth quarter, an 8-yard toss from Ruben Lee II to Kaleb Mosley (Louisville). Lee would finish the game with 14 completions on 22 attempts, 245 yards passing and three touchdowns in his first career start in an Eagle uniform. Hutch would go on to score twice in the final quarter, a one-yard rush by Dylan Laible and a 35-yard pass from Daisean Cash to Marcello Bussey. The final score of the Salt City Bowl was 66-34.

Other top performers:
Houston Smith (Flowood): 4 punts for 156 yards, long of 55, and 3 punts downed inside the 20.
Jaiden Burns: 3 kickoff returns for 162 yards, a long of 63, averaged 54 yards per return.
Anthony Bullock: 9 total tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception returned for 22 yards.
Ta'Darrius Williams (Hollandale): 6 total tackles, 1 sack for 6 yards, and 1 pass breakup.
Thaddeus Bishop (Jackson): 4 total tackles, 0.5 sacks for 4 yards, and 1.5 tackles for loss.

The story of the 2021 season has been one of perseverance. Starting the season with a road loss at Coahoma Community College, the Eagles fought their way into the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) playoffs for the first time since 2017 and played in the conference championship game for the first time since 2004.

During the season, the Eagles defeated Holmes Community College (W, 41-21), Northeast Mississippi Community College (W, 18-13), Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (W, 42-37), Copiah-Lincoln Community College (W, 23-14), Southwest Mississippi Community College (W, 50-3), East Central Community College (W, 52-14), Pearl River Community College (W, 21-10) and East Mississippi Community College (W, 42-41 OT). This season was the first time the Eagles achieved at least eight wins in a season since 2004.

The Eagles also rank highly in several statistical categories as of December 6, 2021. Offensively, the Eagles rank 8th in rushing yards per game, 4th in rushing attempts per game, 2nd in rushing touchdowns, 3rd in first down conversions. On special teams, Hinds ranks 2nd in kick returns, 8th in kick return average, 10th in PAT's, and 5th in punts. Lastly, on defense the Eagles finished 5th in fumbles recovered and 7th in tackles.