MERIDIAN —
One week after both teams open the 2012 season at home, East Central Community and East Mississippi Community College will resume a rivalry that has been dormant since 2007.
For the first time in five years, the longtime rivals will play Sept. 6 at Bailey Stadium in Decatur. The Warriors have won the past six meetings against EMCC, upping their series lead to 34-24-4. In the last matchup in 2007 in Scooba, ECCC won 31-20.
However, that was prior to Buddy Stephens’ arrival at EMCC. In Stephens’ four years in Scooba, the Lions have gone from MACJC laughingstock to national powerhouse, winning three MACJC North Division championships, two state titles and the school’s first national championship last season.
The reigning national champs welcome Stephens’ alma mater Pearl River to Sullivan-Windham Stadium on Aug. 30 to open their title defense. After traveling to Decatur, the Lions also visit Southwest Mississippi before beginning North play. EMCC hosts Mississippi Delta on Sept. 20 to open the division before alternating road trips and home games the rest of the way against Coahoma, Holmes (homecoming on Oct. 6), Northeast Mississippi, Northwest Mississippi and Itawama.
If the Lions make their fifth straight state playoff appearance, it will start Nov. 3 with the state championship game slated Nov. 10.
East Central, meanwhile, is hoping for a turnaround under third-year head coach Brian Anderson. And a quick start in 2012 would help the Warriors accomplish that as four of the first five games are at Bailey Stadium.
Following the season — and home — opener against Itawamba and the matchup with EMCC, ECCC begins South Division play on the road at Copiah-Lincoln on Sept. 13. The Warriors then return home against Southwest Mississippi and host homecoming against Hinds on Sept. 29. From there, the Warriors make trips to Jones County and Mississippi Delta before the home finale against Pearl River and the season finale at Gulf Coast.
Sports
Warriors, Lions to resume rivalry
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Neshoba Central shuts out East Central 8-0
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Knights come up short
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