Minutes after East Mississippi Community College won the Mississippi Bowl and captured its third National Junior College Athletic Association national championship in football, coach Buddy Stephens was looking ahead to the 2015 season.
“There is even more motivation when you are coming off a championship,” Stephens said. “Our goal is to come back in the spring, work hard and build this thing back up. Some people call us a dynasty but we have a long way to go to get to that point.”
The “building back up” began in earnest Wednesday when EMCC announced the signing of 29 high school seniors to national letters of intent.
From the Golden Triangle area, the signees included Starkville running back Jacquez Horsley, Caledonia lineman Cody Cliett and Columbus defensive back Alex Lipscomb. Starkville linebacker Alonzo Flowers and West Point quarterback Dason Thomas are also projected to go to EMCC as well but were not on the official release from the school.
“Signing day is always a special moment for these young men,” Stephens said. “We have built a championship program here but we always look for character first. We have recruited players we know who will be solid citizens and be leaders in the classroom, as well as the football field.”
Other EMCC signees included Larry Alexander (West Marion), Jordan Barrett (Laurel), Omar Bayless (Laurel), Tim Bonner (Demopolis, Alabama), Xavier Burden (Clarke County, Alabama), Booker T. Chambers (Greenwood), De’Arius Christmas (Warren Central), Demetrius Gleaton (South Panola), Hunter Godfrey (Pascagoula), D.J. Henderson (Clinton), T.J. Jallow (Olive Branch), Said Jones (Independence), Desmond Lester (South Panola), Ja’Moz Mark (Tylertown), Rod Moore (D’Iberville), Tyre Phillips (Grenada), Grayson Pontius (Biloxi), Diamante Pounds (Saltillo), Dontavius Powell (Charleston), Jacques Pucheu (West Harrison), Thad Roberts (Petal), Ezekiel Rose (Clarksdale), Allen Spurlock (Charleston), Morgan Stansell (West Marion), Fred Walls (Olive Branch) and Damion Willis (Southeast Lauderdale).
EMCC will begin the 2015 season on a 24-game win streak. The program has won three of the last four national championships.
EMCC officially send 26 to senior colleges: The February National Signing period allowed a quartet of Lions to sign with seniors colleges, bringing the overall number to 26.
EMCC sophomore running back Preston Baker, a former Starkville High standout, signed with the University of Tennessee, Martin. Sophomore defensive back Jessie Gill signed with Miles College. Both Baker and Gill are scheduled to complete course work in the spring semester and can move to their next school this summer.
EMCC had a pair of first-year players also sign Wednesday. Freshman wide receiver Camion Patrick, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, signed with Indiana, while freshman lineman Dante Sawyer, a native of Atlanta, signed with South Carolina. Despite playing one year in Scooba, both Patrick and Sawyer have met eligibility requirements to move on to a senior college this summer.
Another pair of Lions wrapped up their junior college careers in December and found new homes late in January.
Former Columbus High Schools standout defensive back Quan Latham has signed with and already enrolled at Faulkner University for the spring semester. Sophomore wide receiver Brandon Acker decided to skip a second season of playing baseball at EMCC and has enrolled to play football at Southeastern Louisiana University.
ICC welcomes 35 to roster: Second-year Itawamba Community College head football coach Sean Cannon confirmed 35 signees Wednesday.
“It’s always an exciting day when you bring new guys into your program,” Cannon said. “We felt like we were able to get some guys that wanted to be Indians.”
Golden Triangle area ICC signees included West Point wide receiver Kaelon Collins, West Point running back Kadarius Forside, Starkville wide receiver Keyon Higgins, West Point linebacker Tyler Logan, Noxubee County wide receiver Tamarcus Silvers, West Point defensive lineman Jaylan White and Aberdeen quarterback Josh Williams.
“We didn’t have very many we needed to sign this year because we have a good bit returning, but I think we filled some good holes for next season,” Cannon said. “We are anxious to get these guys here because it will be August before we know it.”
Other ICC signees included Matt Allen (Ripley), Dee Armstead (Winona), Abraham Austin (Olive Branch), Weston Bobo (Kossuth), Dontavis Bruce (Olive Branch), Nathan Cox (Tupelo), Kamdon Edwards (South Panola), Zach Ellis (Tupelo), Dorian Gatson (Ripley), Chakel Gates (Calhoun City), Tavonta Hadley (Tupelo), Isaiah Howard (Ripley), Centerio Jones (Horn Lake), Reid Kelley (Germantown), Deon Knox (Grenada), David Little (Saltillo), Jadarius Little (Horn Lake), Octavius Matthews (North Jackson, Alabama), Brennan McCormick (Lewisburg), Devin McDonald (Smithville), DC Olton (Winona), Zach Pridmore (Baldwyn), Juan Robinson (Greenwood), Dqmarcus Shaw (South Panola), Cody Shelton (Ripley), Matthew Stewart (Kossuth), Tucker Wammack (Lewisburg) and Kenny Wooten (Meridian).
ICC has confirmed 12 players signing senior college offers from this past season’s 4-5 team.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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