SCOOBA — East Mississippi Community College sophomore running back Jacquez Horsley posed for a picture with the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) state championship trophy.
Horsley looked down at the trophy and clutched it even tighter.
The former Starkville High standout had to make up for lost time.
Horsley scored the game’s first touchdown Saturday at Sullivan-Windham Field as No. 3 EMCC defeated No. 4 Northwest Mississippi C.C. 38-30 to win the state championship.
“This is incredible,” Horsley said. “I knew it would be a great feeling, but it is even better than that. We had to wait a while, but it was worth it in the end.”
Horsley was a sophomore at Starkville High School when the Yellow Jackets won the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 5A state championship in 2012. The gap between state titles figured to end last season when EMCC was a favorite to win the MACJC state championship.
However, the season ended prematurely when EMCC was banned from the postseason because of a brawl in its final regular-season game against Mississippi Delta C.C.
“That was such a disappointment, it made us determined to get back,” Horsley said. “Each team here wins championships. To be a part of a team that didn’t wasn’t a good feeling. This year we were determined to make up for it. It feels like things are back to normal.”
EMCC has won five state championships under Buddy Stephens, including three of the last four. Stephens is 10-3 in MACJC state playoff games, scattered over eight playoff appearances.
Florida State transfer De’Andre Johnson has led the charge on offense this season. Against the state’s best defense, EMCC struggled to put up big numbers, but it did enough. Johnson was 13 of 22 for 111 yards with a 3-yard touchdown pass to former Starkville High standout Raphael Leonard. Johnson also ran 19 times for 122 yards and a score. Horsley added 77 rushing yards and a score. Vijay Miler also had a touchdown.
Leonard was a high school classmate of Horsley on that 2012 championship team. He wasn’t around for the disappointment of missing last season’s MACJC postseason because he was at Florida Atlantic for a season.
“Winning championships never gets old,” Leonard said. “It’s good to play on a team that is known as the best. We know a lot of guys on the Northwest team, so this was a fun, rivalry game. It feels good to get the championship.”
EMCC will learn its postseason bowl destination later this week. The final National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) rankings should be released Monday. Playing for a third national title in four seasons isn’t out of the question for EMCC.
“Everybody is excited about what’s next,” Johnson said. “Hopefully, we will have a chance to play for the championship. We feel like we are the best team in the nation. It would be great to get a chance to show that.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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