ELLISVILLE — Raphael Leonard was tired.
The East Mississippi Community College sophomore wide receiver wasn’t alone.
With only 32 players available due to suspensions from a fight last season at Mississippi Delta C.C., top-ranked EMCC didn’t have very much depth for its season opener Thursday at Jones County Junior College.
As a result, Leonard and his teammates had to play a lot of minutes and had few breaks. Despite 60 minutes of work, Leonard still had a smile on his face when he visited with friends and family after EMCC’s 27-25 loss.
“I had to fight through it,” Leonard said. “I told the coach I wanted to stay in and help the team to win. I had to do whatever it took. I had to keep fighting.”
In his first game with EMCC, Leonard played nearly every offensive snap and worked with freshman quarterback Vijay Miller to keep the Lions in the game. Leonard, who played at Starkville High School, had four catches for 91 yards. He said he played “all right,” but the Florida Atlantic transfer was more concerned about the loss than his performance.
Leonard helped give the Lions a 7-0 lead with 55 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Miller threw the ball down the right sideline and Leonard went up and pulled it down. Even with a defensive back trying to break it up, Leonard secured the football and then broke away for a 65-yard touchdown.
“I told the quarterback I wanted the ball,” Leonard said. “He threw it and I went up. I knew I was going to catch it, but I didn’t think I was going to stay in bounds. I looked down and saw I was still in. I just ran for the touchdown.”
Trailing 27-19 late in the fourth quarter, Miller found Leonard again to pull the Lions to within 27-25. On a busted play, Miller scrambled out of the pocket and found a wide-open Leonard in the back of the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown.
“We work the scramble drill all the time,” Leonard said. “I was shocked I was that open. I got my feet in and scored.”
The touchdown came with 2 minutes, 35 seconds left and EMCC coach Buddy Stephens decided to go for the two-point conversion. But sophomore safety Jonathan Abram broke up Miller’s pass to freshman Daniel Crowell Jr.
The Lions got the ball back with less than a minute, but Miller couldn’t lead the game-winning drive.
“I played average,” Miller said. “I didn’t play to the best of my ability. I played the best I could, but at the end of the day, I think I could have done better. I maybe missed some reads here and there.”
Miller, who played at Itawamba Agricultural High last season, was 22 of 37 for 242 yards and three touchdowns. He found Crowell for a 19-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to begin the comeback.
Although the Lions led 13-3 at halftime, Miller was still trying to find his rhythm. He played better in the second half.
“We had a little miscommunication with our wide receivers running the wrong routes and not running full speed. But we’re going to get that all fixed,” Miller said.
Leonard will try to put this loss behind him and get ready for the remaining eight regular-season games. He figures to be a key player in EMCC’s quest to win a state championship and a national championship.
But the effects from a 60-minute game with very little down time will be felt for a couple of days.
“I’m going to feel it (today), and I’m probably going to feel it the whole bus ride back,” Leonard said.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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