Print edition: 
Like any superhero worth his salt, Fort Scott running back Jasmin Hopkins has one thing that can sap his strength, make him feel absolutely human.
In its absence, however, he feels absolutely indestructible.
"Losses are the only thing that really make me feel like I have no energy, like I won't be able to move after a game," said Hopkins, the Jayhawk Conference offensive player of the year. "When we win, it's like no matter how many times I've carried the ball or how much of a beating I've taken, I've got energy to keep going. I'm the kind of player ... the worst thing for me would be to let my teammates down."
Hopkins and No. 1 Fort Scott (11-0) will be at full strength today when they travel to Pittsburg to take on No. 2 Blinn (Texas) College (10-1) in the first Citizens Bank Bowl.
At stake? Only the NJCAA national title, which Fort Scott last won in 1970 and fellow Jayhawk member Butler has won the last two years. Blinn last won the national championship in 2006.
"Our focus has never been on winning the league or beating Butler or anything like that," Hopkins said. "From July, from the very beginning of workouts, we always said we wanted a national title."
The 5-foot-8, 170-pound Hopkins has spearheaded the Greyhounds' drive to the title game, putting together one of the greatest seasons in school history by rushing for 1,734 yards and 16 touchdowns on 289 carries.
In the Region VI title game against Butler, Hopkins rushed for 159 yards on 43 carries.
"Colleges will call me looking for a running back and I tell them 'I've got a guy, but he's not as big as you want and he's not as fast as you want'" Fort Scott coach Jeff Sims said. "But other than that, he's absolutely perfect."
Along with an increased interest from four-year schools in the last three weeks — Hopkins was talking to recruiters from Howard on Friday afternoon — he's found people have taken a lot more interest in his overall well-being.
"I'm not too social, I feel like there's only three or four people I talk to on a regular basis," Hopkins said Hopkins, who is from Mount Holly, N.C. "But lately I've been having a lot more people asking about how I'm doing, how I'm feeling.
"As far as colleges, that's not something I can think about too much right now because my total focus is on Sunday. The people in Fort Scott are excited for this ... say what you want, they love their football."
