Journey Armstead and Hailey Jackson Keep Winning With No. 1 Hutchinson

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Journey Armstead posts a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists to lead the No. 1-ranked Blue Dragons 81-62 victory over Cowley on Wednesday in Arkansas City. (Billy Watson/Blue Dragon Sports Information).

ARKANSAS CITY – The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team passed its first test as the No. 1-ranked team in the NJCAA after completing a big road test on Wednesday night.

Paced by five players scoring in double figures – which included Journey Armstead's third career double-double – the top-ranked Blue Dragons pulled away in the middle two quarters for an 81-62 KJCCC victory over the Cowley Tigers at Scott Auditorium.

The Blue Dragons extended the fourth-best start and fifth-longest winning streak in team history to 24-0 overall and 18-0 in the Jayhawk Conference. The Blue Dragons play host to No. 21 Butler at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Armstead, a 2023 Charles Page High School alum, had her third career double-double with 14 points and a career-high-tying 10 assists. She also had a single-game career-high six steals and posted the 21st all-time 10-assist game in Blue Dragon history. She also had 10 assists vs. the Washburn JV and Pratt in 2022-23.

Hailey Jackson, a 2024 CPHS alum, finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.

Despite shooting only 35.0 percent in the opening quarter, the Blue Dragons had three early 3-pointers to spark the offense. Armstead hit a 3-pointer for an early 7-2 lead.

The Blue Dragons started the second quarter on a 13-2 run, holding Cowley without a field goal for the first 3 minutes, 33 seconds of the quarter. The Dragons then went scoreless for 4 minutes, 11 seconds and Cowley cut the Dragon lead to 32-27 with 3:31 to play after a Destiny Yates' 3-pointer. Hutchinson turned the tables on Cowley, holding the Tigers scoreless for the remainder of the quarter.

The Dragons outscored Cowley 25-16 in the third quarter. Leading 45-34, Jackson scored off a Cowley turnover, which started a 10-2 Hutchinson run.

Hutchinson led 61-43 after three quarters and maintained its comfortable lead through the final quarter. Cowley drew as close as 17 points twice in the final 10 minutes.

Armstead is averaging 11 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. Jackson is averaging 12.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Both were All-State selections at Sand Springs.