When the East Mississippi Community College football team played its first home game Sept. 1 at new Sullivan-Windham Field, the Lions kicked off what many thought would be a good season.
Three weeks later, EMCC is home. This time, the compass is pointed toward the prospects of a great season.
On the strength of victories against Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C., Hinds C.C. and Northwest Mississippi C.C., EMCC has climbed to No. 4 in this week’s NJCAA Top 20. EMCC will try to defend that ranking at 7 p.m. Thursday when it plays host to North Division rival Itawamba C.C. at Sullivan-Windham Field in Scooba. Jason Crowder and Glen Beard will broadcast the game on WFCA-FM (107.9).
A victory will move EMCC, which begins the fourth week of the regular season as the state’s highest-ranked team in the national rankings, to 4-0 for the first time since 1974. The Lions also are one of two unbeaten teams remaining in the state. EMCC and Northeast Mississippi CC are 3-0 and 1-0 in division play.
ICC enters its division opener 0-3.
“It will be really great to be back home,” said EMCC coach Buddy Stephens, whose team defeated Northwest Mississippi 45-42 on Thursday in Senatobia. “We have had two emotionally-draining games in a row on the road. The kids are really looking forward to being back home.”
EMCC will play back-to-back home games for the only time this season. Next week, it will play host to Coahoma C.C., which also is winless. There are three winless teams in the state.
The Lions’ three victories have been by a total of 10 points. A pair of top-five foes are on the victim list, including then-No. 2 Mississippi Gulf Coast and then-No. 4 Northwest Mississippi.
While the victory against Northwest Mississippi counts only as one North Division win, it could pay huge dividends in the playoff chase, since the balance of the division is 4-11.
EMCC has capitalized on the strength of its victories to move from No. 16 in the initial national ranking to No. 9 to No. 8 to its current ranking. Only Navarro College, Blinn College, and Arizona Western College are rated higher. EMCC is one of five teams from the state of Mississippi ranked in the poll. Northwest (No. 9), Gulf Coast (No. 13 ), Pearl River (No. 15), and Northeast (No. 19) also are ranked.
“We have played three difficult games,” Stephens said. “I don’t know of many teams who have had a stretch like this. However, it has made us stronger as a team. We have learned a lot and really grown up real quick.”
EMCC snapped Northwest Mississippi’s 13-game regular-season win streak in dramatic fashion. Despite being outgained by 159 yards, the Lions held the upper hand for most of the contest. Back-to-back second-quarter touchdown passes by Bo Wallace gave the Lions a 24-14 lead before Northwest rallied to take a 28-24 lead on its first possession of the second half. The Lions answered with the game’s next 14 points.
The most bizarre play took place when Northwest Mississippi attempted a game-tying 50-yard field goal on the final play of the third quarter. The kick fell short and EMCC’s Rodney Davis ran the ball out of the end zone for a 100-yard missed field goal touchdown return.
The performance helped Davis earn recognition a MACJC Stars of the Week in the Sunday Blitz section of The Clarion-Ledger in conjunction with the jucoweekly.org website.
Davis, a former prep standout at Stanhope Elmore High School in Millbrook, Ala., had 322 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the victory. His touchdown return gave EMCC a 10-point advantage entering the final quarter.
“We were fortunate to win the game,” Stephens said. “The defense made some critical stops when they had to. Offensively, we had a good night. We again played with a lot of effort. That has been the trademark of this team the whole year.”
ICC has lost to South Division foes Hinds (44-24), Pearl River (34-8), and East Central (24-17). The loss to East Central still stings because ICC led 17-0 at halftime and 17-3 in the fourth quarter.
EMCC is third in the state in total offense (469 yards per game), 11th in rushing offense (116 yards per game), and second in passing offense (353 yards per game). ICC is 12th in the state in total offense (260 yards per game), 10th in the state in rushing offense (123.3 yards per game), and fifth in the state in passing offense (164 yards per game).
EMCC is last in the state in total defense (407 yards per game), 13th in the state in rushing defense (202 yards per game), and 10th in the state in passing defense (205 yards per game). ICC is 11th in total defense (353 yards per game), 12th in the state in rushing defense (177 yards per game), and seventh in the state in passing defense (176 yards per game).
Wallace is second in the state with 82 completions in 123 attempts for 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns. Rodriguez Moore is second in the state with 50 rushes for 311 yards and one touchdown. Lacoltan Bester is fifth in the state in receiving with 18 catches for 267 yards and three touchdowns.
ICC quarterback Darren Daniel, a sophomore from Phenix City, Ala., has is 23 of 70 for 334 yards with one touchdown and five interceptions. The completion total is second lowest in the state. Sophomore Deshawn McGaughy, of Fulton, leads the ground game with 34 rushes for 136 yards and two touchdowns.
Jon Williams is in his second season as coach at ICC. A year ago, EMCC and ICC tied for second place in the North Division standings.
EMCC has won four straight series meetings, including all three with Stephens as coach. The Lions won 37-10 in Fulton in 2010 and 28-6 in Fulton in 2009. The last EMCC home win was a 40-34 triumph in 2008 in a game played at West Point High.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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