The student voice of Hutchinson Community College
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September 10, 2021
pinion
Laci Sutton discusses how health-care workers have been treated as heroes and zeroes. Page 2
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The Blue Dragons’ Esports team is building a following on campus. Page 3
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Jayshaun Jones reviews Drake and Kayne ‘s new albums.
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Vol. 63 Issue 1
ports
Joel Muhs writes about HutchCC althetes and their love for sports. Page 6
Relentless in Hope: Evans Strong By Brooke Greene Editor in Chief
Hutchinson has come together in these past few months to support an important family that has been struck by tragedy. Locals have seen it all over our town, whether it be at Bogey’s with the Mrs. Evans shake, Midwest Motors, as they offered car washes and T-shirts to raise money for the Evans family, or the Facebook temporary profile showing “Relentless in hope, #Evansstrong”, the Evanses have been on the city’s hearts as they tackle their journey. This is their story. Melissa and Clayton Evans have been active in the community and have two children. They both graduated from Hutchinson Community College, Clayton in 2007 and Melissa in 2017, and she also studied at Kansas State University. The two settled on educational degrees and took their roles as teachers in Hutch. Melissa is now in her second year as the assistant principal and athletic director for Hutchinson Middle School, and Clayton is a business teacher at Hutchinson High school, head softball coach and a DECA sponsor. He also helps with the student run business at Hutch High known as The Sweet Treat. Both of them coach a variety of sports, as parents, and proud teachers. The accident happened when Clayton was in Lawrence golfing with some friends. They were set to take a flight to Chicago for a boys trip. When they took a turn too quickly, the golf cart rolled over and landed on top of Clayton. While he remained conscious, he knew instantly that he could not feel his legs. “They called an ambulance and he was soon after airlifted to KU Med in Kansas City. I was actually leaving KC on my way to Lawrence to meet Clayton and my little brother for dinner when they called to tell me what happened,” Melissa said. “I instantly turned around and headed to meet Clayton at KU Med. I’m thankful I was so close when it happened, because I can’t imagine making a three-hour drive instead of a twenty-minute drive. There was a really nice EMT on the helicopter that finally let Clayton call me himself. There wasn’t much substance to that conversation other than Clayton saying, ‘Babe, I love you so much. I can’t feel my legs. I love you so much.’ And me reassuring him I would be right there with him, that I was on my way and everything was going to be OK.” Clayton was then taken to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at KU Medical Center. Rods were to be put in to stabilize his spine. Before the surgery, he could barely move at all. His accident was on a Wednesday and the surgery took place Friday, but after about 60% completion, they were forced to stop when Clayton started to code on the table. “I don’t really remember much after the doctor told me, I just remember falling to the floor in the waiting room and begging the surgeon to understand that it wasn’t just anyone on the table, it was my husband,” Melissa said. “It was the father of my children and we need him. I thank God every day that my brother drove 17 hours in 23 hours to get to me because he was the one that picked me up off the floor and got me back to Clayton’s room. They told us the plan was to keep him intubated and sedated through the weekend while they tried to figure out why he coded. I just knew he was never going to wake up again.” This fear and worry for her husband and her family was unimaginable, all because of an accident. However, Clayton managed to surprise them all. “Come to find out, Clayton ended up waking up on his own, ripping the tube out. Which we’ve since found out is never an ideal thing but it meant we were able to talk through the weekend and I am really, really grateful for that,” Melissa said. “They went back into surgery on Monday and were able to successfully complete his spinal fusion. He was monitored over the next few days and we were transported to Craig Hospital on Thursday.” See Evans, Page 5
Courtesy photo The Evans family poses for a quick family photo during their visit to see Clayton at Craig Hospital in Colorado over their Labor Day weekend. From left Bella, Melissa, Clayton and Max.
Educator of the Year
‘Coach Nac’ credits HutchCC staff, students for passion for job By Aubreigh Heck Online Editor
Dan “Coach Nac’’ Naccarato started the 2020-2021 school year as a presidential candidate, and ended it with Hutchinson Community College’s Educator of the Year award. Coach Nac, a business and leadership instructor who consistently receives local write-in votes for presidential elections, has immense pride for the school he teaches at, and he said he felt honored to win this award. “When (Student Government Association) President Zach Shanline made the announcement at HutchCC Commencement I was grateful, happy, and inspired,” Naccarato said, “We have so many outstanding educators and students here at HutchCC. It’s truly inspiring to be a Blue Dragon.” Coach Nac means a lot to his students, even inspiring them to choose business as a career. “The way that he teaches is super easy to understand,” said Andrew Prieb, a freshman in Naccarato’s class. “I came into college not sure what I was going to do, but I took this business class and I think it’s opening me up to it. I think that makes me want to take business courses throughout, because I’m planning on going to a four year after this, and I want to go for a business major.” Coach Nac had an early start as a teacher, after a dean at Emporia State University approached him as a teaching replacement for his father as a graduate
Upcoming events September 10 — Kansas State Fair opens September 11 — Football vs. Butler at Gowans Stadium at 7 p.m. September 15 — Volleyball vs. Dodge City at the Hutchinson Sports Arena at 6 p.m. Soccer vs. Cowley at the Salthawk Sports Complex at 6 p.m.
The happenings around campus
assistant. “My dad was a college professor,” Coach Nac said, “I always wanted to follow in his footsteps.” Years passed, and an opening at HutchCC in 2004 for a business instructor seemed like a perfect fit. “I always wanted to return to the classroom … The time was right. Every day seems like a holiday around here,” Naccarato said. Since then, Naccarato grew into his position, and has held himself to high standards. He hopes his students and colleagues will expect three main things See Coach Nac, Page 5
Photo by Aubreigh Heck/Online Editor Coach Nac is shown teaching one of his business classes, bounding with enthusiam.
College Student Weather Report Friday High: 96; Low 69 See what they did there? Saturday High: 99; Low 70 Hot as H-E-double hockey sticks Sunday High: 95; Low 67 Go to the park or something. Learn something new for once.
Weather source: accuweather.com
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Opinion
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Our View
End the stigma, get help Mental health has often been considered a taboo topic. That mental struggles aren’t “normal,” and talking about them is often looked down upon. News flash - almost every single person has struggled/struggles from a mental illness. Depression, anxiety, bipolar, etc. And oftentimes, these problems need to be discussed. Holding them back can make them worse. For example, imagine a person had an infection. They obviously need help, and it becomes more and more obvious. Logically, the longer this person goes without getting help, the sicker they get. They just sink deeper and deeper into their infection, and eventually they go past a point of no return. Now turn that infection into depression, and it’s the same result. Mood disorders like depression and bipolar can be crippling. Often, people with depression or people in a depressive episode have no motivation to do anything, let alone to take care of themselves. This can include not having the motivation to brush your teeth, shower, drink water, or even eat. Anxiety can cause a person to lose sight of common sense, and always expect the worst. Having every terrible situation run through your mind can make it difficult to function. A panic attack can take all of the energy out of a person, causing migraines, fatigue, and dehydration. But there’s help out there, Blue Dragons. Prairie Star Health Center and Horizons Mental Health Center are excellent local choices to aid in getting the help you might need. You can even find help on campus, with the school’s Personal Counseling services. You can find these services online at https://www.hutchcc.edu/ student-success-center#counseling or by calling 620-665-3377 - For the Collegian Editorial Board
We did it! We fixed Afghanistan! I ask you now to put this article down for a moment and give your government a round of applause. Keep going. Not yet, I mean, it’s a whole country we saved, surely you can be more excited! Now that’s what I’m talking about! USA! USA! USA! OK now calm down weirdo, you’re embarrassing yourself. I feel your excitement on it though. I really do. I mean we really did it. This is a big deal. No one told us it was still going on even after President George W. Bush saved them in 2003. Apparently, we’ve just been on an 18-year victory lap, presumably leading flash mobs with civilians and servicemen to Earth Wind and Fire songs in the streets of Kandahar and
The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, September 10, 2021
“This coloring book ain’t big enough for the both of us.”
E. G. Weinhoffer/Cartoonist
Hero to zero?
The medical field is one of the most mentally and physically taxing fields someone can work in. The past year and a half brought a new sense of appreciation to providers. We were named healthcare heroes. Our careers were evolving before our eyes and arguably more dangerous than ever before. Respect for the medical field was at an all-time high, and rightfully so. 2020 was even named the year of the nurse. These individuals were not only navigating changes in the workplace but also dealing with life as we all knew it fading into a nightmare. Many facilities began offering “hazard pay” as a way to compensate for the indescribable work environments. While this was much appreciated, it will never begin to heal the trauma medical professionals have gone through. Caregivers are working unimaginable hours, normal hospital rooms have been turned into intensive care units, and parking lots have been turned into mobile testing sites.
COVID is ramping back up, but the appreciation we had for the healthcare providers seems to be going in the opposite direction. Our providers are exhausted. They are underappreciated and experiencing severe burn out, which is putting us into an even worse crisis. For the last week, I’ve seen countless news stories about hospitals reaching capacity and turning patients away. As an aspiring nurse, this is honestly terrifying, but I can’t blame the professionals for wanting to leave this career path. In fact, I applaud them for finally putting themselves first and understanding their boundaries. However, I know I got into this field to make a difference. I chose nursing because I wanted to help people. (I know that sounds so clichè, but that’s the only way I know how to put it into words.) My heart breaks knowing that they have been pushed so hard that they had no other option but to leave the career altogether. Healthcare professionals deserve the same energy we gave them in 2020 all
the time. It’s time we all step up and start showing more gratitude for the ones who care for us when we aren’t able to care for ourselves. Start with a simple thank you next time you speak with a medical professional. It’s tiny, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Columnist
Laci Sutton Laci is a Nickerson student studying nursing. She is the Collegian’s Opinion Page Editor.
Mission Accomplished!
handing out puppies door to door. Now, just this year we’ve fixed them even harder, and for the last time. I hate goodbyes. Think of all the memories we’ve made over the last 40 years. Remember when we gave the Mujahideen training and weapons to drive out the socialists, and they did? That was so cool! Not to mention so much fun. Do you remember when the Mujahideen split into sects including Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and then they used the very weapons and training we gave them against us? What a twist! We did NOT see that coming. Man, looking back, we’ve saved them so many times, I bet they thank their lucky stars for us every day. By the time the Afghan war
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was over it was old enough to be fighting in the Afghan war. While our time with them is now over, do not despair, they are in good hands. I know, the Taliban has cheated on us before, but they are different now. You don’t know them like our government does. They’ve changed. These days, they are less into subjugating women and destroying monuments and more into collecting old cars. Mostly 2013 black, white and gray Toyota Tundras with a turret mount in the back - you know how gearheads are, alwayslooking to customize. Do you guys remember what Afghanistan was like before we saved it? I sure don’t! I wasn’t alive then. Before you get too sad don’t forget, this isn’t goodbye, it’s see you later.
Over 71,000 Afghani citizens have died as a result of this war, and this is likely a conservative estimate. Do you know how to make a terrorist? I certainly don’t, but having someone’s family die horribly and needlessly is probably a good place to start if that’s what you’re shooting for. Will we ever get back together with Afghanistan? Well, in the words of the late great Donald Rumsfeld “There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”. Tragically passed before his highly anticipated mixtape “War Crimalz” could be released.
Collegian Staff Editor In Chief Brooke Greene Opinion Page Editor Laci Sutton Sports Editor Joel Muhs Audio Editor Zariah Perilla-Best Online Editor Aubreigh Heck
Social Media Coordinator Jayshaun Jones Editorial cartoonist E. G. Weinhoffer Staff members Cole Deutschendorf, Brianna Dover, Colton Fast, Leslie Grajeda, Connor Keating, Braedon Martin, Danae Moser, Sarah Newberry, Collin Shields, Ben Short, Brendan Ulmer Collegian Adviser Brad Hallier
www.HutchCollegian.com
Oh, and we’re still leaving our drones there, just so that they have something to remember us by. I know what they say, if you love a country, you’ll let it go, it just hurts so much.
Columnist
Brendan Ulmer Ulmer is an Olathe freshman in General Studies.
Letters to the editor The Hutchinson Collegian welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include the author’s signature, address and phone number. The Collegian reserves the right to edit letters for style, legality and length. Letters may not exceed 300 words. Send letters to hallierb@hutchcc.edu.
Non-discrimination statement Hutchinson Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, military status, sexual orientation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law, or by college policy. For inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies contact: Brett Bright, Coordinator of Equity & Compliance 1300 N. Plum Hutchinson, KS 67501 (620) 665-3500 equity@hutchcc.edu (www.hutchcc.edu/equity)
Campus
The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, September 10, 2021
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Dudley does it all
By Cole Deutschendorf Staff Writer
Every high school has one. A history teacher who doubles as a football coach, making sure that every single date and location is memorized, throwing the occasional “historical” movie up on the TV for the class period. They are usually amazing people, just not the best at making what is typically thought of as a boring topic captivating That’s where Eric Dudley comes in. Hailing from Orangeville, a small town just outside of Sacramento, California, Dudley is a history professor at Hutchinson Community College, where he teaches classes varying from American history to ancient European history. Dudley fell in love with history in high school when he had two teachers who turned him onto the subject. Originally, he wanted to become a high school history teacher, as well as a basketball coach.
“It just evolved from there,” Dudley said. “I realized pretty quickly that I wanted to go to the next level and teach college.” After graduating high school, Dudley went to California State University at Sacramento, more commonly known as Sacramento State. He then went to Kansas State University, where he earned both his Master’s and Doctorate degrees. He applied to colleges all across the United States, and eventually ended up at HutchCC. The historical focus that Dudley originally had was military history, spanning from Alexander the Great to the ancient Roman empire. At HutchCC, he has taught essentially every history class that Hutch has to offer, covering everything from the Industrial Revolution, to how history and memory are intertwined. He cited the types of students that are taught at colleges as the main reason he preferred college over high school, as those students
are not forced to be in classes as opposed to high school. Dudley values the opportunity he has every day to make impacts in his student’s lives, which is his favorite part of teaching. “There’s nothing I like hearing more than a student who doesn’t really have an appreciation of history at the beginning of class to leave my class with a newfound appreciation for it.” James Cotton, Wichita freshman, is in Dudley’s American History post-1865 class. Cotton said that this history class has been the most enjoyable of this topic that he has ever taken. “He tries to relate the subjects we talk about to each individual person,” Cotton said. Generally speaking, history is a subject that is thought of as an unstimulating, dull class. Dudley tries his best day in and day out to retain student’s interest in the subject and keep them engaged with the topics.
Photo by Cole Deutschendorf/Collegian Hutchinson Community College history teacher Eric Dudley teaching during a class
A taste of home for dorm students By Connor Keating Staff Writer
Living on your own for the first time can often be an intimidating prospect, and living in college dorms is usually the first time for most people. To help, most students try to make their rooms feel a bit more like home, oftentimes with personal belongings or special items given to them by family members. Some students aren’t from Kansas, and some aren’t even from the United States, so personal belongings
like these can be important. Joseph Tejada, Ecuador sophomore, has a palm-sized golden elephant from his country, given to him by his grandmother. “In my country, there is a belief that you have to buy one little elephant, steal one, and somebody has to give away one elephant,” Tejada said. “So my grandmother gave me this, and this reminds me of her, so that’s why it takes me home.” Bailey Goodman, Bentley sophomore, is someone who doesn’t like having an empty room. She has pictures of her
friends and photos from the activities she was involved in last year, she also has other things you’d expect like a TV and a calendar to liven up the place. “It’s kind of a pain to move in and what not, but I mean it’s better than just sitting in an empty room,” Goodman said. Goodman also has a collection of blankets. “I have kind of a blanket addiction.” Goodman said. “At home I always used to have a crap ton on my bed, and so I think just having a lot of blankets here helps a lot too. I have
Courtesy Photo The HutchCC Esports team is shown during a recent practice.
Hayley Berry holds the Esports helm By Braedon Martin Staff Writer
This year is the first year Hutchinson Community College has had a “Rainbow Six: Siege” team, as part of their Esports program, which was launched during the 2020-2021 school year. Heading that team is team captain Hayley Berry. Growing up in Pretty Prairie, Hayley started out her interest in video games on Playstation 2. Her favorite games for PS2 were “Call of Duty 2: The Big Red One”, or the recently remastered “SpongeBob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom”. Heath Hensley, HutchCC’s Esports coach, said that Hayley’s role as captain has pushed her outside her comfort zone. “She was very soft spoken and is now one of our most vocal athletes,”
Hensley said. Though it is their first semester competing with a Siege team, Hensley has reported a dedication and fire in the team he believes that Berry has helped to light. Another part of this is the support they receive from the other teams. “Quite a few of the “Overwatch” players will either help us with strategies or just support us, and same with the “Rocket League” or “Call of Duty” players.” Berry said. As captain, Berry has to look more into the strategies for the game, and help out members of her team if they’re not having a good game or match. While the “Siege” community can be well known for its toxicity in casual play, Berry said, the Esports “Siege” community is a lot more
supportive of those who participate, and has a high level of sportsmanship between teams. In order to practice, the “Siege” team plays unranked matches, because they simulate the competitive ruleset. During the preseason, Berry was excited to compete in order to learn what the team needed to work on, as the player base for the unranked matches ranges from pros, to semi-skilled players with random teammates, to people who have no idea what is going on. The “Siege” team’s first match was on Tuesday against Gogebic Community College, which the Blue Dragons lost 2-1. Further matches will be livestreamed on the HutchCC twitch account, on Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
two blankets on my bed that my grandma made for me, so I definitely take those wherever I’m going to be staying the most.” Aaron Campbell, Ottawa freshman, keeps some parting gifts from his grandparents with him in his room. “My grandma owns a quilt shop in Ottawa, Kansas, and she made me a fire truck pillow case, since I’m studying fire science here at Hutchinson,” Campbell said. “And my grandpa got me a piece of old barn tin from a farmstead in our county, that has a thin red
line flag painted on it from a lady from around Wellsville.” Joshua Calderwood, Wellsville sophomore, has a photo of his girlfriend on his desk, and keeps a firefighting challenge coin with him. “Both of those things are things that keep me reminded of home and make it feel more cosy here,” Calderwood said. Living on your own for the first time can be a tough thing for both you, and your family, so having special items in your room can help it feel a bit more like home.
Campus
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What is beef?
By Jayshaun Jones Collegian Staff Writer
What is Beef? Well, according to The Notorius B.I.G. it’s when you travel 30 people deep, but what about subtle beef? Is that even a thing? Sure it is, just look at Kanye West and Drake for example. These two have been sending subtle shots at one another, whether it be on social media or the lyrics in their music. Drake uses a bunch of double entendre in his songs either about Kanye or his wife Kim Kardashian, Kanye leaked Drake’s address on Instagram, but does this count as actual beef? Kanye and Drake, two of the most famous artists in all of rap music have a wide variety of great music but who is better out of the two? Many would argue Drake, many would also argue Kanye. It’s really a divided subject that needs to be figured out. The best way is to compare their two latest projects that were supposed to be their best work. Let’s get to it. First we analyze Kanye’s album
The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, September 10, 2021
Fall Sports photos
Review
“Donda”, an interesting and long album. It’s interesting because it took so long to drop. The release date kept getting pushed back until Universal released the album. The album is one hour, 49 minutes long. That means you’re getting at least 25 tracks (27 to be exact). Starting off with the “Donda Chant” as the first track, the album definitely started off bad. The song is literally nothing but a woman chanting the word “Donda” over and over again. We later learn that this resembles the last few minutes of his mother’s life Donda West. Now it seems genius. Truth be told, there is really only about five good songs on the album. The rest of the songs tend to be just instrumentals. “Hurricane”, “Jonah”, “Off the Grid”, “Praise God”, and “Believe What I Say” were the five good songs on the album. Each song sounded like the classic Ye that made us all love him with a modern twist. Now we get into Drake’s
“Certified Lover Boy”. This is Drake’s 12th studio album and one that Drake fans have been waiting for more than a year. It was worth the wait. With the combination of toxic masculinity and acceptance of truth, which is inevitably heartbreaking. The album is 21 tracks long. That’s six less than Kanye’s, and the songs are actually better. Every song on “CLB” was also kind of reminiscent of past Drake projects at the same time as well. With songs like “Papi’s Home”, “Girls Want Girls”, and “Fair Trade”, Drake gives the listener the ability to really feel what it’s like to be that guy, a “Certified Lover Boy” if you will. The project is definitely one of Drake’s better works and definitely was worth the wait. So who won? Who is better? If you ask me, it really depends on which artist you like more, but if you like them both, or even if you’re just team Kanye, I’m sorry to tell you, but Drake won this won. Left: Kanye West, Right: Drake
Photo by Cassidy Smith/Collegian Collin Oswalt competes at the Terry Masterson Twilight Race last Friday at Fun Valley Photo by HutchCC Sports Information HutchCC’s Albert Nunes narrowly escapes a tackle by Christian Jackson at Saturday’s football game against Coffeyville
The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, September 10, 2021
Evans
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Once the news was out that Clayton may never walk again, Melissa knew their family would have to make some serious accommodations. She was already onto plan A-Z when Clayton had been given enough sleep aide to fall asleep. She considered his coaching career and looked into the KSHSAA regulations for coaching in a wheelchair, the housing market in Hutch, and vehicle modifications. A good wife worries for her injured husband, but a great wife like Melissa was set to make life seem as normal as possible for Clayton. After all, a wheelchair is only a setback. It is his life that she and her kids clung to the most. “That Friday evening, when I thought he was going to die, that’s where I struggled. I can tell my kids, ‘Daddy will need a wheelchair.’ I couldn’t bear the thought of telling them he was gone,” Melissa said. It was decided that the best course of action to take care of Clayton and his injuries was a rehabilitation center in Colorado. Craig Hospital, located in Englewood, has been accommodating to Clayton, and his family travels up there often to see him. They FaceTime and have phone calls, being sure to never lose contact with one another despite the distance. They have a team made up of his doctor, physical therapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, peer mentors, social worker, and a couple nurses assigned to his case – they all work in conjunction to help Clayton reach goals specific to what he wants to be able to do when he comes home. “I’ll never forget our first day here during intake. They asked him what he wanted to get out of this inpatient rehabilitation and he said, ‘I just want to be able to play with my kids and take my wife on dates,’” Melissa said. “In the most horrific of situations, he was still thinking about us.” Their kids enjoy spending time with their dad in Colorado, with plenty of things to do to keep them busy. Their daughter Bella seems to enjoy the beauty in Colorado. “We go hang out in the gardens, we play basketball, and play by the fountains, and we saw birds and the fishes,” Bella said. Their son Max, on the other hand, takes any chance he can to play with his dad. “I mostly just basically play with my dad. He’s great,” Max said. It is clear that their love and support for their daddy shines bright even through the most challenging times. Adjusting to this new life, living so far away from Clayton while he recovers, has been hard on the Evans family. Emotionally and physically, having to accomodate for the temporary absence of a parent is not an easy task. She gets the kids up earlier for school, tries to keep the house clean for home showings, factors in her workday, hosting and supervising seventh-grade activities, keeping in touch with Clayton through FaceTime and Zoom calls, and she’s also tackling applying for aids and grants that will help Clayton when he returns home and is able to get back to work. Clayton’s job right now is to recover so that our community can welcome him back home, and his wife is doing a wonderful job at making sure things will be in order when that time does come. “It’s just a lot. But I honestly think the hardest part is not being there with Clayton while he is rehabbing,” Melissa said. “We’ve talked a lot about how the days aren’t too hard because we’re used to being away from each other at work and even late into the evenings because I have supervisions and he coaches two seasons. But it’s going to bed without each other, it’s having conversations about our day face to face, it’s missing listening to him tuck the kids in, those are the things I miss most. The beauty of that is all of those things – those will absolutely still be things when he returns. It’s just like this for now.” While she says she is more than capable of holding down the fort while he recovers, it is important for her to let him know that she, their family, and
Campus this community still needs him. Fundraisers have been organized to raise money for the Evans family, one of the best known being the Mrs. Evans shakes at Bogey’s. Many want to know how that shake was named after her in the first place. “This question cracks me up because every time I answer it, I realize I basically forced Bogey’s hand,” Melissa said. “I have a couple different passions in life, one of them being cookie dough. We love Bogey’s and every time we went, I always asked Clayton to order my shake very specifically. Cookie dough and oreo, extra cookie dough extra chunky. Every time we’d get it, I’d post it on my story calling it the Mrs. Evans shake. People would ask what it was and I’d tell them the order. After a while, I started just telling people to order the Mrs. Evans and they’d know how to make it, knowing full well this probably wasn’t the case but it cracked me up.” said Melissa. What started as a simple sweet treat eventually became something huge in our community, becoming a more and more popular option at Bogeys out of their 101 shakes. “Eventually, I think enough people tried to order it that the owner of Bogey’s reached out and offered to make it the Shake of the Month in October of 2019 and he donated a percentage of the proceeds to The Closet at Hutch High, a place where students can go if they need clothes, school supplies, hygiene products, etc., where I was working as a math teacher at the time,” Melissa said. “Bogey’s puts so much good out into our community.” After this development, and after Clayton’s accident, Bogey’s then put proceeds towards raising money for the Evans family and medical expenses needed for Clayton. Melissa immediately started considering new housing options, as it was obvious that their lives would change forever. She reached out to the building trades program at Hutch High and discussed buying the home they build each year if the floor plans could be modified to Clayton’s needs. A premature idea, a shot in the dark, became a reality. With the opportunity to have a custom-made home, the Evanses are hoping to do something even more remarkable with it. “In designing the plans with Jim Strawn, who volunteered to do them for free, we were intentional about still having a basement with additional bedrooms because Clayton and I have always had intentions of fostering once our own children are old enough for us to feel like we can safely do so. And we knew we would need to sell our current house to be able to foster, so while this sped up that process exponentially, it is still exciting to think we are one step closer to that goal as well,” Melissa said. “And not only that – with this house being built to fit all of Clayton’s needs, it means we could potentially foster kiddos with similar needs. There is always good that comes out of these situations, as long we choose to create it.” Since his accident, Clayton has made incredible progress. His family and the Hutchinson community is proud of him for his improvements over these past several months. His recovery has been a slow process, but not without effort. After his surgery, he could barely move, not even enough to watch the television in his room. Slowly but surely, things started to look up. Over Labor Day weekend, Craig Hospital traded out Clayton’s hospital bed for a full-sized firm mattress. They were able to complete his full morning routine without any medical assistance. While it is a little scary to think about bringing Clayton home, and hopefully soon, they are grateful for the knowledge they have obtained from their time at the hospital in learning how to care for someone with a spinal injury. “But courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s doing it despite the fear,” Melissa said. “So we will lean on them as long as we have them, and then we will attack this new life as courageously as possible, with the intent of having every friend in the medical profession on speed dial.” This brave family will always face trials, but it is their love for eachother that makes them so #Evansstrong.
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Puzzles
Photo courtesy Hutch CC Sports Information Hutchinson Community College volleyball player Kristina Head celebrates a point during a match at the Sports Arena.
Sports
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Losing is not uncommon for the Blue Dragons in the Power Plant, as this is the third straight season it has happened. Setter Andrea Serrano returned to the lineup and contributed with 15
assists on the night. Football - The Blue Dragons started strong against Coffeyville, coming out to a 7-0 lead early. It all went downhill from there, as turnovers were shooting the Blue Dragons in the foot. Quarterback Dylan Laible threw two interceptions, and the Blue Dragons lost five
Coach Nac • Continued from Page 1
from him. “They can trust me to consistently say what I mean and mean what I say,
fumbles on the night. Two turnovers were in the red zone on fourthquarter possessions. This win snapped a five-game winning streak against Coffeyville, and a 13-game season-opener winning streak was also snapped. The Blue Dragons look to come back on Saturday at Gowans Stadium against Butler.
we genuinely care about people at HutchCC, we’re willing and able to help students learn how to achieve their goals,” Naccarato said. He uses these expectations to garner respect and always reminds students, “It’s a great day to study Business!”
Sports
Page 6
The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, September 10, 2021
Athlete of the week
(Aug. 29-Sept. 3) Collin Oswalt, men’s cross country
Photo by Danae Moser/Collegian The Hutchinson Community College volleyball team rallies together before a home match at the Sports Arena.
For the love of the game Blue Dragon athletes share their drive
By Joel Muhs Sports Editor
It’s not often when a single word can bring millions of people together, whether they are friend or foe. That word is “sports.” Whether it’s Sunday night in the NFL or a middle-of-theweek girls high school basketball game, sports hold a special place in the hearts of many, and Hutchinson Community College athletes are no different. No matter the time of year, sports can be found on television screens across the world. Although the 24/7 access to sports is a luxury to fans, it can be hard to fathom the grind that takes place for athletes day in and out. However, it’s the payoff that makes it worth it for many. “I love when you put in all the hard work in at practice, you see it pay off later down the line,” said sophomore Blue Dragon golfer Ben Partridge, who helped the Blue Dragons win a national championship in the spring. “It’s not like an exam (where) you do the exam and then you get the results back minutes after. With golf, you might see it two months later. That excitement is what drives me as a player.”
Some athletes don’t get started in their respective sports until further along in their careers, but with HutchCC freshman soccer goalkeeper Madison Quarles, it was already a part of her and her family. “I basically grew up around sports and everyone in my family always played one too. As a kid, I probably played at least one sport a season,” Quarles said. “But I think soccer is the one that I eventually went with due to my enjoyment for the sport and not a lot of my family did play it.” Quarles isn’t alone when it comes to having an enjoyment for sports since early on, as HutchCC sophomore and football lineman Gerald Sanders, who also helped his team win a national championship in the spring, has carried a love of football with him since his youth. “I’ve been playing and watching football since I was young, and it all started when I was five years old,” Sanders said. “I’ve had a love for the game ever since.” Much like life, sports can have its fair share of ups and downs. From the high of winning a championship, to the low of having a season cut short due to injury or a
Photo by HutchCC Sports Information Harry Crockett (left) and Ben Partridge (right) shake hands after a playoff at the NJCAA national golf tournament.
worldwide pandemic, there is one thing that can be counted on when it comes to sports for the Blue Dragons and for all athletes alike – the family. “In general, my favorite thing about soccer is how universal it is and the people you meet
playing,” Quarles said about soccer, and sports, as a whole. “It’s something that can connect people in so many ways and it’s always super interesting to hear other people’s past playing experiences. It truly makes me feel like a part of a family.”
The week: Oswalt was key in helping the Blue DragOswalt ons start their season at the Terry Masterson Twilight at Fun Valley. Oswalt came in fourth place overall and was the second highest-placing freshman, as Oswalt finished the race in a time of 20 minutes, 38.2 seconds. That was less than a minute behind the winner. The season: Oswalt is a freshman who attended Hutchinson Central Christian, and he will be expected to be one of the top runners on a young Blue Dragon that has only five runners on the roster, three of which are freshmen. Oswalt and the Blue Dragons will head to their next race on Sept. 18 at the Muthama-Rodgers Invitational at Bethel College in North Newton.
Roundup: Cross country teams open season at Fun Valley
Photo by HutchCC Sports Information HutchCC men’s track runner Andrew Holt keeps pace during a meet. By Ben Short and Jayshaun Jones Staff Writers
The Hutchinson Blue Dragons women cross country team started this season with an eighth-place
finish at the annual Terry Masterson Twilight at Fun Valley. They were led by Louise Cocking, where she finished fourth in the season opener, making it her fifth top-five finish in her career. The season opener was a tough one for the Blue Dragons, as they only had one runner in the top 25. The rest of the team finished between 55th and 70th. The runners at the home meet did face some adversity. The Twilight wasn’t exactly run under the lights as normal. The start of the race was moved up three hours to avoid potential heavy rains for later in the evening. While the race temperature was in the mid-80s and under cloud cover, the runners battled high humidity. The runners will take on their next meet on Sept. 18 in Newton. Men’s cross country – The Blue Dragons tarted on the right foot with impressive performances from all their runners on Friday at the Terry Masterson Twilight. One of the stronger runners was freshman Collin Oswalt, posting a time of 20:38.2, and he was awarded fourth place in the men’s four-mile race. Another strong performance from Hutch was sophomore, Andrew Holt. Holt ran a time of 22:37.5, a whole nine seconds better than his time from the
Masterson Twilight last year. Holt would finish 34th. Another Blue Dragon in the top 50 was sophomore Aaron Geissinger, who ran a time of 23:08.1. Geissinger improved his time by 29 seconds from his original time at the Masterson Twilight meet. Soccer – The Blue Dragons continued their perfect all-time record against Garden City on Wednesday with a 2-0 win at Broncbuster Stadium. Hadlie Lowe and Lani Dickinson had goals, while Olivia Felix-Cardona had the shutout in goal. The Blue Dragons improved to 2-2 overall and earned their first conference in three games. The Blue Dragons dominated the game, with 10 shots on goal compared to two for Garden City. Next for the Blue Dragons will be a road trip Saturday to take on archrival Butler. Volleyball - The Blue Dragons continued their struggles this week, as they lost to Butler in three sets. This match was their straight loss, making them 4-3 overall. The Blue Dragons hit only .124 in the match and were swept 25-15, 25-16, 25-21. Blondie Penaflor led the Blue Dragons with 10 kills and nobody else had more than five kills on the team. See Sports, Page 5
Blue Dragon sports schedules, results. All home games, events in caps. Cross country
Sept. 3, TERRY MASTERSON TWILIGHT CLASSIC Sept. 18, at Muthama-Rodgers Invitational, North Newton, 10:45 p.m. Oct. 2, at Chili Pepper Classic, Fayetteville Ark. Oct. 9, at Fort Hays State Tiger Open, Victoria, 9:45 p.m. Oct. 30, at Region 6 championships, Colby Nov. 13, at NJCAA Championships, Richmond, Va.
Football
Sept. 4, at Coffeyville, L 17-10 Sept. 11, BUTLER, 7 p.m. Sept. 25, FORT SCOTT, 7 p.m. Oct. 2, at Garden City, 7 p.m. Oct. 9, INDEPENDENCE, noon Oct. 16, at Highland, TBA Oct. 23, Dodge City, 1 p.m.
Oct. 30, first-round playoffs, TBA
Golf
Sept. 27-28, at Missouri Southern Fall Invitational, Monkey Island, Okla. Oct. 4-5, at West Texas A&M, Amarillo, Texas Oct. 11-12, at Midwestern State Fall Classic, Wichita Falls, Texas Nov. 4-5, at NJCAA National Preview, Odessa, Texas
Soccer
Aug. 20, at Western Wyoming, W 1-0 Sept. 1, at Barton, L 2-1 Sept. 4, JOHNSON COUNTY, L 1-0 Sept. 8, at Garden City, W 2-0 Sept. 11, at Butler, 6 p.m. Sept. 15, COWLEY, 6 p.m. Sept. 18, at Coffeyville, 4 p.m. Sept. 22, at Dodge City, 3 p.m. Oct. 2, at Neosho County, 1 p.m.
Oct. 6, BARTON, 6 p.m. Oct. 9, KANSAS CITY, 2 p.m. Oct. 13, GARDEN CITY, 6 p.m. Oct. 16, at Cowley, 2 p.m. Oct. 20, DODGE CITY, 6 p.m.
Volleyball
Aug. 23, OTTAWA JV, W 3-1 Sept. 1, CLOUD COUNTY, W 3-2 Sept. 3, at McCook, Neb., Tournament; vs. Otero, Colo, W 3-0; vs. North Platte, Neb., W 3-2 Sept. 4, at McCook, Neb., Tournament, vs. McCook, L 3-1; vs. Iowa Western, L 3-0 Sept. 6, at Butler, L 3-0 Sept. 8, GARDEN CITY, W 3-0 Sept. 10, at Grizzly Classic, El Dorado; vs.Neosho County, 11 a.m.; vs. Rose State, Okla., 3 p.m. Sept. 11, at Grizzly Classic, El Dorado, vs. Trinity Valley, Texas, 3 p.m.
Sept. 13, at Colby, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 15, DODGE CITY, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17, BLUE DRAGON CLASSIC; vs. Trinity Valley, 3 p.m.; vs. Jefferson, Mo., 7 p.m. Sept. 18, BLUE DRAGON CLASSIC, vs. Laramie County, Wyo., noon; vs. Missouri StateWest Plains, 4 p.m. Sept. 20, at Garden City, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22, PRATT, 6 p.m. Sept. 24, at Barton, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28, at Seward County, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 2, at Highland Oct. 6, vs. Seward County, 6 p.m. Oct. 8-9, at West Plains Classic Oct. 13, COLBY, 6 p.m. Oct. 15-16, at Park Hill, Mo., triangular Oct. 18, at Dodge City, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 20, BUTLER, 6 p.m. Oct. 23, at Pratt, 2 p.m. Oct. 27, BARTON, 6 p.m.