SCOOBA — Dario Robinson does a lot of things in the “spur of the moment” on the football field.
The East Mississippi Community College sophomore began the year as a wide receiver. He also has been a running back, a defensive back, and a kick returner.
On Thursday night, he became a kick blocker extraordinaire.
Robinson blocked two kicks and dotted the stat sheet in all of his usual places as No. 8 EMCC routed No. 4 Northwest Mississippi C.C. 49-16 in a Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges North Division matchup at Sullivan-Windham Field.
“The kick-blocking thing was just a spur of the moment thing,” Robinson said. “I really hadn’t been practicing it. I just kind of got stuck on the special teams unit. I really hadn’t even practiced blocking kicks. However, after I saw how low the first kick was, I knew I might be on to something.”
EMCC improved to 7-1 and 5-0 in division play. The Lions clinched the seventh North Division championship in Buddy Stephens’ eight seasons as head coach. EMCC has won 17-straight division games dating back to 2012. Northwest Mississippi slipped to 7-1 and 4-1.
When the MACJC playoffs begin Oct. 31, EMCC will play host to the South Division runner-up, while Northwest Mississippi will travel to South Division champion and seventh-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C.
“We knew this was really a big game,” EMCC freshman defensive back Dontavius Powell said. “We were playing a top-10 team on our home field. This was our chance to prove what type of team we are. This program relishes these opportunities.”
Sophomore running back D.J. Law returned to the field after missing the last two games with a knee injury. Law ran for a team-high 112 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown run in a 21-point second quarter.
Isaiah Wright ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Wright set the tone midway through the first quarter when his 87-yard run capped a 99-yard scoring drive. EMCC drove 85 yards on its next possession and used a 1-yard run from Wright to make it 14-0.
EMCC’s defense followed with the next big stop. Led by C.J. Reavis, De’Arius Christmas, and Powell, the Lions held the Rangers twice on the EMCC 2-yard line. On fourth down, a 19-yard field goal by Jim Speights put Northwest Mississippi on the board.
On that kick, Robinson saw what he needed to block a field goal and an extra point, which was returned 86 yards by Powell for a two-point defensive conversion.
EMCC rode the fast start to a 28-16 halftime lead.
“We were really ticked off,” Law said. “A lot of people have been disrespecting us all year. They have been telling us that we are not this or not that. Honestly, this team has really had enough. We wanted to go out and do what we do best around here — win the big game and win it big.”
EMCC’s defense dominated in the second half. The Rangers didn’t score and committed three turnovers. Lineman Ronald Ollie, a 6-foot-2, 310-pound sophomore, had an interception and a fumble recovery, while Powell recovered a muffed punt.
“How about the big man? (Ollie),” Robinson said. “He was everywhere on that field. Like on every big play we had, he was involved. He was pretty special.”
Robinson was special, too. The former Amory High School standout was moved to defense two weeks ago because of several injuries on that side of the ball. In addition to the two blocked kicks, Robinson had three catches for 40 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown from Wyatt Roberrts. He also had three tackles and a 62-yard kickoff return that set up another score.
“You are watching a great kid build up his resume,” Stephens said. “Each week he adds to the portfolio. He is telling all the Division I schools out there, I could do this for you or I could do that for you. He is a special young man. He comes in every day wanting to learn something new. It is exciting when you see a young man grow, mature, develop like that. He is going to become special on the next level.”
On this night, several Lions were special. Roberts only threw for 167 yards, but he had three second-half touchdowns. Robinson, Allenzae Staggers, and former Aliceville High standout Mario Lanier caught touchdowns. Christmas led the defensive effort with 13 tackles.
“We don’t get to play undefeated teams very often,” Robinson said. “This was special. I went around the locker room before the game making sure everybody was fired up and ready to go. We don’t like the underdog role. However, we took it tonight and made a statement.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
East Mississippi Community College 49, Northwest Mississippi C.C. 16
Northwest 0 16 0 0 — 16
EMCC 7 21 14 7 — 49
First Quarter
EM — Isaiah Wright 87 run (Grayson Pontius kick).
Second Quarter
EM — Wright 1 run (Pontius kick).
NW — Jim Speights 19 FG.
EM — D.J. Law 56 run (kick blocked).
NW — Justin Crawford 7 run (kick blocked).
EM — Dontavius Powell 86 blocked kick return for conversion.
EM — Wyatt Roberts 14 run (kick blocked).
NW — Gardner Minshew 10 pass to Justin Crawford (Speights kick).
Third Quarter
EM — Wyatt Roberts 39 pass to Allenzae Staggers (Pontius kick).
EM — Roberts 15 pass to Mario Lanier (Pontius kick).
Fourth Quarter
EM — Roberts 20 pass to Dario Robinson (Pontius kick).
Team Statistics
NW EM
First Downs 23 30
Rushes-Yards 50-207 41-336
Passing Yards 211 216
Comp.-Att.-Int. 18-37-1 16-24-1
Return Yards 133 168
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 1-0
Penalties 7-82 8-65
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Northwest Mississippi — Justin Crawford 31-115, Marquisian Chapman 7-70, Max Joseph 7-20, Gardner Minshew 5-2; East Mississippi — D.J. Law 10-112, Isaiah Wright 6-95, Wyatt Roberts 13-49, Jacquez Horsley 8-47, John Franklin III 4-33.
PASSING: Northwest Mississippi — Gardner Minshew 18-37-1-211; East Mississippi — Wyatt Roberts 13-18-0-167, John Franklin III 3-6-1-49.
RECEVING: Northwest Mississippi — Jacob McCrary 6-88, Justin Crawford 6-55, Romeel Cochran 1-22, Alex Norwood 2-17, Titus Ivory 1-15, Todd Wilson 1-8, Marquisian Chapman 1-6; East Mississippi — Allenzae Staggers 3-50, Damion Willis 2-48, Dario Robinson 3-40, Isaiah Jones 3-38, Mario Lanier 2-24, Brooks Shannon 2-9, Sammie Burroughs 1-7.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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