A Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division championship was a major goal when East Mississippi Community College hired Buddy Stephens as its football coach.
Eleven years later, such championships are common, which is why EMCC is always aiming for bigger and better.
No. 1 EMCC (7-0, 4-0) can clinch its ninth division title under Stephens at 7 p.m. Thursday when it plays host to Coahoma C.C. (0-7, 0-4) at Sullivan-Windham Field in Scooba.
“(The North Division championship) is the first step,” EMCC sophomore defensive back JaQuez Akins said. “Our goals are much larger than that. However, it helps to play at home. That’s why we got to make sure we do our part to win the North. It’s the first step in several championships we plan to win.”
A North Division championship would guarantee a first-round home playoff game. That is huge considering EMCC will carry a 31-game home winning streak into Thursday’s matchup.
EMCC has clinched a playoff berth in all 11 seasons under Stephens. Only twice has the team not played an opening-round game at home.
“We have been fortunate,” Stephens said. “The bigger the game, the better we have played over the years. Each week, the goal is to become 1-0. As you start adding up those wins, it can lead to some big things.”
While EMCC is focused on winning the program’s fifth National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national championship, the immediate goal is to finish a regular season undefeated for the first time since 2015.
The Lions are well on their way to that goal. EMCC has won 23-straight games against Coahoma C.C. It will wrap up the regular season against Northeast Mississippi C.C. (1-6, 1-3).
“The goal is to fine-tune some things,” EMCC sophomore quarterback Messiah deWeaver said. “You want to be playing your best when the playoffs begin. Our last couple of games have been pretty good. That means we are headed in the right direction.”
EMCC topped 50 points for the fifth time in seven games Saturday with a 56-21 victory against Holmes C.C. on Homecoming.
Weaver won his second-straight start after Vijay Miller went down with an ankle injury in a 24-21 victory against East Central C.C.
Against Holmes C.C., deWeaver was 18-for-22 for 227 yards and two touchdowns. Deon McIntosh eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the third-straight week by rushing for 106 yards and two touchdowns.
“The offense has battled through some injuries and some adversity,” McIntosh said. “Everybody is ready to close out the regular season on a strong note so we can then try to win a championship.”
EMCC owns three wins against ranked opponents. The MACJC playoffs should provide two more ranked opponents. That will only strengthen EMCC’s case to be the nation’s top-ranked team.
The latest NJCAA rankings feature three undefeated teams.
“We did it the hard way last year (five-straight wins after being upset at Northwest Mississippi C.C.),” Akins said. “It’s never easy, but we have helped ourselves more this year. We are beginning to peak at the right time.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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