.jpg "Image") In what has become an annual tradition on the Scooba campus, members of EMCC’s 2009 Sports Hall of Fame class are scheduled to be recognized during pre-game activities of Saturday’s 2 p.m. homecoming football contest against Northeast Mississippi.
EMCC’s 2009 Sports Hall of Fame inductees will be honored on the Scooba campus with a Friday night reception and banquet. The 10-member class is also scheduled to be recognized Saturday afternoon prior to the 10th-ranked Lions’ 2 p.m. homecoming football contest against Northeast Mississippi. The MACJC North Division gridiron battle will take place at EMCC’s Sullivan-Windham Field.
The 2009 class of the EMCC Sports Hall of Fame consists of James “Cubby” Harris (Starkville), the late Larry “Rock” Cohen (Columbus), Stan Malone (Sturgis), Carter “Dikki” Dyson (Fort Campbell, Ky./Meridian), Dennis Morgan (Toomsuba), Charlene Stokes (Preston), Roy Simpson (Tuscaloosa, Ala.), Houston Harrison (Fort Walton Beach, Fla./Greenville, Ala.), Bobby Westmoreland (Celina, Tenn.), and Don Cunningham (Elizabethtown, Ky.).
In addition, East Mississippi will also honor the school’s 2009 Alumna of the Year and Distinguished Service Award winner this weekend on the Scooba campus. For the first time ever, EMCC will bestow the school’s top homecoming honors on siblings – Alumna of the Year Ruby Briggs McCullough and Distinguished Service Award winner J.K. Briggs Jr. Sister and brother will be the guests of honor during a Saturday luncheon at EMCC’s Keyes T. Currie Coliseum. They are also slated to be recognized during halftime activities of Saturday afternoon’s EMCC-Northeast Mississippi football contest.
For additional information on these upcoming events, please contact the EMCC Development Foundation Office at 662-476-5063 or visit the school’s website at www.eastms.edu.
2009 EMCC SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
LARRY “ROCK” COHEN (Columbus) – The late Larry “Rock” Cohen participated in football, baseball and track & field at East Mississippi during the 1959-60 and 1960-61 academic years. The Columbus native went on to enjoy a productive athletic career at Livingston State College (now the University of West Alabama), where he maintained his football and baseball prowess as an upperclassman. Having competed in semi-pro baseball for 15 years after graduation, Cohen later spent 36 years working for Deposit Guaranty National Bank and BankFirst Financial Services.
DON CUNNINGHAM (Elizabethtown, Ky.) – A native Kentuckian, Don Cunningham was a two-year (1957-59) basketball letterman for head coach Keyes T. Currie at East Mississippi. After graduating from Southern Miss, he began a successful career as a high school coach and school administrator. Following prep stints at Bay Minette, Ala., Neshoba Central and Forest, Cunningham returned to the Scooba campus to serve as both the men’s and women’s basketball coach at EMJC for three seasons. During his three seasons with the Lady Lions, he earned Mississippi’s Junior College Coach of the Year honors in 1983-84 after guiding the women’s team to a 23-4 record and No. 6 regular-season national ranking.
CARTER “DIKKI” DYSON (Fort Campbell, Ky./Meridian) – Following a standout prep career at Meridian High School, Carter “Dikki” Dyson went on to garner NJCAA Honorable Mention All-America laurels both seasons (1975-76) at East Mississippi under the guidance of head coaches Jackie Reese and Randall Bradberry. Dyson took his receiving talents to Arkansas State University, where he helped lead ASU to a pair of 7-4 seasons. He was teammates with fellow 2009 EMCC Sports Hall of Fame inductee James “Cubby” Harris on ASU’s 1978 Southland Conference championship team. Stationed in Fort Campbell, Ky., Dyson currently serves as a senior human resources non-commissioned officer in the United States Army. He is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in January.
JAMES “CUBBY” HARRIS (Starkville) – With his own painting company thriving in Starkville, James “Cubby” Harris previously starred as a defensive back for head coach Randall Bradberry at East Mississippi during the 1976 and 1977 seasons. After earning NJCAA Honorable Mention All-America honors as a sophomore, Harris went on to become a two-year starter at defensive back at Arkansas State University. He was teammates with fellow 2009 EMCC Sports Hall of Fame inductee Carter “Dikki” Dyson on ASU’s Southland Conference championship team in 1978. In addition to having his own painting company in his hometown, Harris continues to serve as an active sponsor and coach for Starkville area youth in baseball, basketball and football.
HOUSTON HARRISON (Fort Walton Beach, Fla./Greenville, Ala.) – A native of Greenville, Ala., Houston Harrison initially played fullback for EMJC head coach Marcus Mapp before enlisting in the United States Army with the 123rd Medical Collecting Company to serve in the Korean War. He returned to the Scooba campus after his Army stint to start as a center for Hall of Fame head coach Bob “Bull” Sullivan’s Lions in 1952. Following a collegiate career at Troy State College (now Troy University), Harrison settled in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., where he was employed with the Okaloosa County School District for 46 years until his retirement in 2000.
STAN MALONE (Sturgis) – A former standout at Sturgis High School, Stan Malone starred at East Mississippi for head coaches Bob “Bull” Sullivan and A.J. Kilpatrick. After helping lead the Lions to a two-year composite record of 16-4, Malone signed a football scholarship to attend Delta State. Deciding instead to return to Sturgis to begin his career, Malone has worked the past 37 years as an engineering tech for the United States Department of Agriculture’s research services division. During his stint with the USDA, he has worked on the eradication of the boll weevil, disease and insect resistance of cotton and corn plants. He has also worked in the development of waste products of swine and poultry to serve as alternate plant fertilizer.
DENNIS MORGAN (Toomsuba) – Presently serving as the vice chairman of EMCC’s Board of Trustees as well as chairman of the board’s sports advisory committee, Dennis Morgan’s association with East Mississippi spans back to his days (1954-56) as a starting guard for head coach Keyes T. Currie’s EMJC basketball teams. After earning his degree in horticulture and landscape design from Mississippi State, Morgan helped maintain his family’s prosperous bedding plant company. He continues to serve as the owner and president of the Morgan Plant Farm, LLC, in Toomsuba, which ranks as Mississippi’s largest grower of bedding plants and serves Mississippi and Alabama garden centers, landscape contractors and chain stores.
ROY SIMPSON (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) – Following a standout career as a halfback for Tuscaloosa’s Holt High School, Roy Simpson starred as a fullback for legendary East Mississippi football coach Bob “Bull” Sullivan during the 1951 and 1952 campaigns. Simpson closed out his career in Scooba as a 1952 Wigwam All-American after averaging an amazing 22 yards per carry during an injury-shortened sophomore season. Though he was recruited to Florida State, he opted to remain in Tuscaloosa to begin a family. In 1987, Simpson retired as a lieutenant after serving 33 years with the Tuscaloosa Fire Department.
CHARLENE STOKES (Preston) – Charlene Stokes averaged around 30 points per game as a team co-captain for head coach Keyes T. Currie’s EMJC women’s basketball team that claimed the Mississippi Valley Conference state championship in 1954-55. After women’s basketball was discontinued in the Mississippi junior college ranks following her freshman season, Stokes returned to Preston to begin a 20-year career working for the United States Department of Agriculture’s Stabilization Conservation Service. Having also worked part-time for nearly 20 years for a certified public accountant during tax season, she now spends her time attending to the family’s 80 acres of farmland in Preston.
BOBBY WESTMORELAND (Celina, Tenn.) – Bobby Westmoreland ventured to Scooba from his native Celina, Tenn., to compete as a lineman on the gridiron and as a thrower on East Mississippi’s track & field squad. He continued his collegiate career as a three-year letterman at Western Kentucky University, where he was a part of Hilltopper teams that posted a composite record of 21-6-1, including an undefeated (10-0-1) season his senior year (1963). Following his football playing career, Westmoreland spent 13 years coaching in the high school ranks in Tennessee and Kentucky before becoming active in the development of apartment complexes, trailer parks and assisted-living facilities.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 06 October 2009 )
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.jpg "Image") With All-America quarterback Randall Mackey connecting on 90 percent of his passes in Thursday’s 49-20 divisional road triumph over Coahoma, 10 different Lion receivers made at least one reception in the contest.
Entering the game ranked first nationally in total offense as a team, EMCC rang up 49 points for the second straight week after hitting the same mark a week ago in the team’s key seven-point victory at nationally ranked Northwest Mississippi. Having also hit the 40-point figure in their 41-14 home win over Holmes last month, the Lions have scored at least 26 points in each contest this season.
After fumbling during their opening offensive possession, the Lions benefitted from a bad snap during a punt attempt following a 15-play Coahoma drive. EMCC quickly took advantage of the miscue, as All-America quarterback Randall Mackey connected with Bill Franks of State Line on a 30-yard scoring strike on the third play of the ensuing possession. Redshirt freshman kicker Brett Spencer of Amory began a perfect 7-of-7 night on point-after-touchdown attempts to put the visitors on top by a 7-0 count with 4:25 remaining in the opening quarter.
Following empty possessions that resulted in a missed 31-yard field-goal attempt by Coahoma’s Reed Gallagher and a failed fourth-and-one attempt on a Mackey keeper at midfield, the home-standing Tigers knotted the score at 7-7 on a 16-yard scoring pass from Garrick Jones to Hollis Moore II with 9:24 left in the first half.
The two teams again traded touchdowns three minutes apart late in the second quarter. After Mackey accounted for the first 39 yards of the go-ahead drive, the Louisiana native found Derrick Steele of Utica in the right corner of the end zone from 22 yards out at the 6:01 mark. Aided by an 18-yard pass play and a 19-yard run from Jones, Coahoma countered with a 6-yard rushing touchdown from Brodis Toles. However, Gallagher’s PAT try was blocked to keep the contest at 14-13 in favor of EMCC with 3:11 left in the half.
East Mississippi wasted little time in answering the Tigers’ score, as Mackey capped a quick five-play, 75-yard drive with a 29-yard aerial to Maben’s Mitchell McCurry in the left corner to stretch the EMCC lead to 21-13 with just under two minutes remaining until intermission. Coahoma’s attempt at one final score before the break was thwarted near the end zone when EMCC sophomore Anthony Hines of Starkville picked off his second interception of the year at the 3-yard line on the final play of the half.
The visitors from Scooba set the tone for the second half on their initial possession, moving the ball 65 yards on 10 plays to make it a two-score contest, 28-13, on a 3-yard scoring burst up the middle by Starkville’s Pat Shed four minutes into the half.
To their credit, a game Coahoma ballclub responded by taking nearly eight minutes off the game clock during a 19-play scoring march that covered 79 yards and concluded with a 3-yard bolt into the end zone by Kantrel James. Gallagher’s PAT was true and EMCC’s lead was trimmed to 28-20 with 3:24 left in the third quarter.
Despite Coahoma’s valiant effort through the first three quarters, the Lions’ offensive efficiency seemed to wear down the Tiger defenders during the final period. The EMCC defense also stepped up late in the contest by forcing consecutive three-and-out possessions during a 21-point quarter for the visitors.
Freshman running back Floyd Graves of Newton tallied his first collegiate touchdown from 4 yards out on the first play of the final period. On EMCC’s next possession, Mackey again hooked up with Steele on a 10-yard scoring pass to make it a 42-20 contest with 11:15 remaining. The touchdown catch was Steele’s fourth of the season and Mackey’s 17th scoring strike on the year. The reigning NJCAA Region 23 Offensive MVP methodically distributed 27-of-30 passes among 10 different receivers on the night for 276 yards and four touchdowns, along with picking up 95 rushing yards on nine attempts.
Shed’s 1-yard scoring plunge over the top with 3:55 left officially sealed East Mississippi’s 12th straight MACJC North Division win dating back to the 2007 campaign, while also extending the Lions’ series winning streak over Coahoma to 15 consecutive games. Shed, a former Starkville High School standout, ended the evening with 93 rushing yards, including a pair of scores, on 11 carries to raise his team-leading touchdown total to seven on the year.
Currently ranked 10th nationally by JC Grid-Wire and 12th in the NJCAA/JCFootball.com poll, head coach Buddy Stephens’ North Division-leading EMCC Lions, 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the division, will play at home for the first time since Sept. 17 when they entertain Northeast Mississippi on Saturday, Oct. 10, as part of East Mississippi’s homecoming festivities. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Sullivan-Windham Field on the Scooba campus.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 06 October 2009 )
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.jpg "Image") Led by All-America sophomore quarterback Randall Mackey, the 10th-ranked EMCC Lions lead the nation in total team offense with an average of 551.6 yards per contest.
Coming off last week’s critical 49-42 divisional road win over then-No. 18 Northwest Mississippi, head coach Buddy Stephens’ 4-1 EMCC Lions are ranked 10th nationally this week in the JC Grid-Wire/JCFootball.com Top 25. East Mississippi also moved up a notch to No. 12 in the NJCAA/JCFootball.com national poll.
Also with a 41-14 divisional win over Holmes this season, EMCC enters Thursday’s contest at Coahoma having prevailed in 11 consecutive North Division outings dating back to the 2007 campaign. Prior to going undefeated (6-0) in division play a year ago in Stephens’ first year at the EMCC helm, the Lions, then under the guidance of former head coach Roger Carr, recorded consecutive North Division victories over Northeast Mississippi, Coahoma and Itawamba to close out the 2007 campaign.
On the heels of a career-best, 453-yard passing effort in last Thursday’s seven-point victory at Northwest, All-America quarterback Randall Mackey presently ranks second nationally in total offense behind Tirrell Rennie of Ellsworth CC as well as rating third in passing yardage per game. The reigning NJCAA Region 23 Offensive MVP, Mackey has completed 66 percent (109-of-165) of his passes on the season for 1,536 yards and 13 touchdowns. With five rushing touchdowns – all in the last three games – and 319 yards on the ground this fall, the Louisiana native is averaging 370.6 yards of total offense (306.8 passing & 63.8 rushing) per contest and has accounted for 18 total touchdowns as a sophomore.
Mackey continues to have a stable of quality receivers to connect with, led by sophomore Stephon Johnson of Gulfport. With a team-high 24 catches for 365 yards on the year, Johnson most recently had six grabs for a career-high 153 yards, including his first collegiate touchdown reception, in last week’s road triumph over Northwest. Fellow sophomore Bill Franks of State Line follows with 20 receptions for 182 yards through five games. With four grabs for 105 yards and two scores a week ago, sophomore Lance Lewis, of Concord, N.C., is averaging 20.3 yards on 14 catches – five for touchdowns - on the season, including touchdown receptions of 70 yards last week at Northwest and 80 yards the week prior against Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Complementing EMCC’s explosive passing attack, the Lions are also averaging 217.8 rushing yards per contest as a team to rank second behind reigning state champion Mississippi Gulf Coast among the MACJC’s statistical leaders. Sophomore Pat Shed of Starkville stands as the state’s No. 6 ground-gainer with an average of 80.2 rushing yards an outing. The former Starkville High School standout is also tied with Mackey and Lewis for the team lead with 30 points on the season.
Defensively, East Mississippi is currently led in tackles by sophomore Alvin Ellis of Columbus and freshman Dujuan Brown with 47 and 42 total stops, respectively. Brown, of Miami, Fla., picked off his team-leading second interception of the year to help preserve last week’s key win at Northwest. Sophomore defensive ends Jermayne Lett of Moss Point and Claude Davis have combined for 14 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 7 ½ sacks for the year.
After getting out of the gates with a 3-0 record with wins over East Central (32-31), Southwest Mississippi (34-21) and Mississippi Delta (20-13), the Tigers of Coahoma are now 3-2 overall and 1-1 in division play after having since dropped back-to-back decisions to Holmes (30-14) and Copiah-Lincoln (16-15) the past two weeks.
Including last year’s 47-20 homecoming victory over Coahoma, EMCC has prevailed in its last 14 series meetings with Coahoma dating back to the 1995 season.
Thursday’s EMCC-Coahoma contest will be broadcast by WFCA-FM radio (107.9) with Jason Crowder set to describe the play-by-play action and Glen Beard slated to provide the color analysis. The game can be heard online via EMCC’s athletics website – http://athletics.eastms.edu – or by logging onto www.wfca108.com.
Set to play at home for the first time since dropping a 43-26 decision to Mississippi Gulf Coast on Sept. 17, the East Mississippi Lions will next play host to Northeast Mississippi on Saturday, Oct. 10, as part of homecoming festivities. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Sullivan-Windham Field on the Scooba campus.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 September 2009 )
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.jpg "Image") All-America quarterback Randall Mackey accounted for more than 500 yards of total offense and five touchdowns to lead No. 13 EMCC to a key 49-42 divisional road win over 18th-ranked Northwest Mississippi Thursday night in Senatobia.
Featuring two of the nation’s most potent passing attacks, neither of which disappointed fans during the course of the high-scoring contest, the North Division slugfest ultimately came down to the Lions’ ability to capitalize on a timely turnover opportunity late in the game that was created by clutch defensive play by the visitors down the stretch.
Following six lead changes and two ties during the offensive showdown, EMCC recovered a fumble on a botched exchange in the Rangers’ backfield. The Lions immediately jumped on the opportunity, as All-America quarterback Randall Mackey hit Stephon Johnson for 42 yards to move inside the red zone. After a 10-yard Mackey run around the left side, Starkville’s Pat Shed followed suit with a 5-yard scamper around left end for the eventual difference-maker. Replacing starting placekicker Phillip Dimino, who had missed three extra-point attempts earlier in the game, redshirt freshman Brett Spencer of Amory nailed the PAT with 2:23 left in the contest to break a 42-42 deadlock.
Entering the contest leading the NJCAA ranks in passing offense, the Rangers were forced to begin the game’s final drive on their own 23-yard line as a result of Jermayne Lett’s clutch open-field tackle on the ensuing kickoff. With sophomore Casey Weston at the controls, Northwest moved quickly into EMCC territory. Aided by a pass interference penalty called on the Lions during an apparent pass interception by Anthony Hines, the Rangers were able to get inside the red zone. However, East Mississippi’s stout defensive contingent took a stand to prevent the home team from tying the game or perhaps taking the lead in the waning moments. Following Chris McFarland’s game-saving pass breakup in the end zone on Northwest’s standout receiver Michael Lindsey with less than a minute to play, Lett again came up huge with an 8-yard sack of Weston. Backed up to the 25-yard line as a result of EMCC’s fifth sack of the night, Weston’s fourth-and-long pass attempt with the game clock running down was intercepted by linebacker Dujuan Brown inside the 5-yard line to preserve the Lions’ critical divisional win on the road against a nationally ranked opponent.
In what promised to be an aerial-filled offensive explosion, featuring two of the nation’s top quarterbacks, turned out to be just that – and more. Despite playing on soggy turf caused by excessive September rains in the Magnolia State, EMCC’s Mackey wound up with 27-of-40 passing totals for a career-high 451 yards and three touchdowns, along with three interceptions coming on successive third-quarter possessions. The reigning NJCAA Region 23 Offensive MVP from Louisiana also ran for 62 yards on 14 carries, including back-to-back scoring runs of 7 and 9 yards in the second quarter to stake the defending MACJC North Division champions to a 29-13 lead. As the Rangers fell to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in division play, Northwest’s Weston finished the game with 27-of-51 passing for 333 yards on the night with five touchdowns and the game-ending pick.
The high-powered offenses certainly lived up to their pre-game billing early, as the two teams combined to score on the first five possessions of the contest. EMCC’s Dimino got things started with a 34-yard field goal – his first of the season – coming three minutes into the game. It took the Rangers all of 18 seconds to take the lead on Weston’s 43-yard aerial to Lindsey. Kevin Buford’s point-after try failed and marked the first of five missed PAT attempts between the two teams on the night.
With Mackey going 5-of-5 on the ensuing possession, the Lions reclaimed the lead on Bill Franks’ 2-yard score on an end-around play with 7:02 remaining in the opening period. Dimino’s missed PAT kept the score at 9-6 in favor of the Lions. Benefitting from excellent field position at midfield after a squib-kick on the ensuing kickoff, Weston capped a five-play, 49-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Colton Barnett. Buford’s successful PAT conversion with 5:28 left in the first quarter put the home team back on top by a 13-9 tally.
Three minutes later on a possession that was initially stalled by EMCC penalties, Mackey drove the Lions 91 yards on just eight plays to take back the advantage. Set up by Mackey’s 39-yard strike to Stephon Johnson, sophomore Lance Lewis snared the first of his pair of touchdown grabs of the game from 6 yards out to put the visitors back in front 15-13 after Dimino misfired on his second straight PAT attempt.
As the 28-point opening quarter of play drew to a close, the Lions seemed to take control of the contest by establishing their defensive presence and disrupting Northwest’s offensive flow during the second 15-minute session. EMCC took advantage of a fumbled reception by Darryl Kinkle, followed later by a 15-yard facemask penalty on the Lions’ subsequent possession, by turning the miscues into seven points on Mackey’s first of two scoring runs and a successful PAT conversion.
Following an empty possession by the Rangers, East Mississippi scored on its fifth straight offensive opportunity to open the game by marching 80 yards on 11 plays. Mixing up the run and the pass on the drive, Mackey’s 9-yard keeper into the end zone around the right corner gave the Lions some temporary breathing room at 29-13 with 6:49 remaining until intermission.
However, Northwest gained some needed momentum that would carry over into the second half by cutting the deficit to 29-21 on a 28-yard scoring pass from Weston to Otis Mays. Weston then hit Barnett for the two-point conversion with 3:33 remaining to close out the first-half scoring.
The Rangers opened the second stanza by establishing the running game on an 11-play, 58-yard drive that resulted in a 6-yard touchdown grab by Xavier Lee. A successful two-point conversion pass play from Weston to Mays knotted the score at 29-29 nearly five minutes into the second half.
Victimized by Mackey interceptions on three successive possessions, the Lions did not produce any points in the third quarter and had to rely on stellar play from their defensive unit to help maintain damage control. EMCC responded to the first errant aerial with sacks by Columbus’ Alvin Ellis and Devin Hawkins of Caledonia to force a four-play possession from the Rangers. East Mississippi’s second interception was a bit more costly, as Northwest’s Stacey Lake picked off Mackey’s intended pass to Mitchell McCurry in the end zone to thwart a possible go-ahead drive. The Lion defenders again collectively stood their ground and forced a three-and-out on three straight incomplete passes from Weston.
Unfortunately for the visitors, their miscues finally caught up with them when Northwest’s Timothy Kirk returned Mackey’s third interception to the 23-yard line. One play later, the Rangers quickly cashed in on the turnover with Calvin Malone sprinting 23 yards down the left sideline with 2:22 left in the third quarter to put the home team back on top by a 35-29 count.
EMCC didn’t panic and methodically put together a well-balanced nine-play drive that covered 69 yards, capped by an 18-yard Mackey scoring strike to Johnson in the right corner of the end zone. A sophomore from Gulfport and the team’s leading receiver on the year, Johnson had six catches for 153 yards on the evening. Dimino tacked on the PAT to give the Lions a precarious one-point edge one minute into the final quarter.
The Rangers appeared to be headed to pay dirt themselves on their subsequent possession, but a self-recovered fumble of a completed pass play that lost yardage and an off-sides penalty stalled a potential go-ahead drive just prior to the red zone. East Mississippi’s quick-strike prowess was instantly showcased when Lewis hauled in a Mackey pass over the middle and out-ran everyone en route to a 70-yard, catch-and-run jaunt to the end zone. Dimino’s third missed point-after try of the game sailed left and kept the score at 42-35 with 10:31 remaining in the contest.
Assisted by an off-sides penalty and a critical roughing-the-passer call on the visitors, Northwest seized the opportunity to tie up the score at 42-42 less than two minutes later on a Weston-to-Lindsey hook-up from 25 yards out. Buford’s all-important extra point with 8:45 left on the clock set up the game’s dramatic final minutes.
Head coach Buddy Stephens’ 4-1 East Mississippi Lions, now 2-0 and in sole possession of first place in the MACJC’s North Division, open the month of October on the road by traveling to Clarksdale to take on Coahoma next Thursday evening (Oct. 1). EMCC then returns to the Scooba campus for Homecoming 2009 on Saturday, Oct. 10, when Northeast Mississippi comes to town for a 2 p.m. divisional battle at Sullivan-Windham Field.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 28 September 2009 )
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.jpg "Image") The 13th-ranked Lions look to regroup from last week’s home loss to Mississippi Gulf Coast by traveling to Senatobia to take on No. 18 Northwest Mississippi Thursday evening.
Pitting the top two teams in the current MACJC North Division standings, Thursday’s EMCC-Northwest contest will feature two of the nation’s top passing attacks directed by two of the most highly touted quarterbacks among the NJCAA ranks. With preseason All-American Randall Mackey under center for the Lions, East Mississippi boasts the nation’s No. 1 offensive unit with an average of 517 yards of total offense per contest. Led by sophomore signal-caller Casey Weston, the Rangers top the NJCAA team statistical rankings by averaging 356.8 passing yards per outing. EMCC presently rates fourth nationally with an average of 304.5 passing yards a game.
Falling 11 spots from the No. 2 position to land 13th in this week’s NJCAA/JCFootball.com poll, head coach Buddy Stephens’ 3-1 Lions had their 10-game, regular-season winning streak snapped with last Thursday’s 43-26 home setback to the Bulldogs of Mississippi Gulf Coast. EMCC started the season with non-divisional victories over Copiah-Lincoln (27-13) and Jones County (28-17), along with a 41-14 home triumph over Holmes two weeks ago to successfully begin defense of its MACJC North Division championship.
Guided by head coach Ricky Woods, the 18th-ranked Rangers of Northwest Mississippi are also 3-1 overall and 1-0 in divisional play on the year. Most recently, Northwest claimed a 35-0 shutout win at Itawamba last week to rebound from the team’s 38-35 home loss to undefeated Pearl River. The Rangers kicked off the campaign with an impressive 30-25 victory at Gulf Coast, followed by a 23-0 home whitewash of Hinds. For the season, Northwest enters Thursday’s EMCC contest having allowed a state-best collective total of only 63 points, including the two shutout wins, through the first four games.
Along with EMCC and Northwest showcasing two of the country’s leading signal-callers in Mackey and Weston, both standout quarterbacks also have the luxury of spreading the wealth offensively. With sophomore Stephon Johnson of Gulfport leading the way with a team-high 18 receptions for 212 yards, the Lions feature eight receivers with six or more catches on the season, including five with double-digit grabs. Headed by Michael Lindsey, averaging nearly 26 yards per catch on 17 receptions including four touchdowns, the Rangers tout nine different receivers with at least five catches for the year.
A year ago in Scooba, the home-standing Lions posted a 27-19 victory over visiting Northwest Mississippi amidst their seven-game winning streak that resulted in an MACJC North Division title and the school’s first state playoff appearance since 1984.
Thursday’s EMCC-Northwest contest will be broadcast by WFCA-FM radio (107.9) with Jason Crowder set to describe the play-by-play action and Eddie Hammond slated to provide the color analysis. The game can be heard online via EMCC’s athletics website – http://athletics.eastms.edu – or by logging onto www.wfca108.com.
East Mississippi will stay on the road to take on Coahoma next Thursday (Oct. 1) in Clarksdale, before playing host to Northeast Mississippi on Saturday, Oct. 10, as part of the school’s homecoming festivities. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Sullivan-Windham Field on the Scooba campus.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 23 September 2009 )
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