Mackey-less Lions prevail at Itawamba

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October 18, 2009

from school reports The Meridian Star Sun Oct 18, 2009, 12:24 AM CDT

FULTON — Backup quarterback Brad Henderson threw for two touchdowns and ran for a pair of scores in leading the No. 7 Lions of East Mississippi to a 28-6 road victory against Itawamba on Saturday afternoon in front of a homecoming crowd at ICC’s Lambert Stadium.

A redshirt freshman, Henderson played the entire contest in place of All-American Randall Mackey, who sat out the game with nagging injuries to his knee and ankle. On the heels of last week’s 88-yard rushing effort, including a 49-yard touchdown run, against Northeast Mississippi, Henderson’s starting assignment against ICC was the first of his collegiate career.

After EMCC freshman Izauea Lanier picked off his third interception of the season – all coming in the past two games – on Itawamba’s opening possession, Henderson capped a 10-play, 55-yard drive with a 6-yard scoring run up the middle with 8:39 left in the first quarter.

Special teams came into play early, as both teams capitalized on blocked punt opportunities late in the opening period. After Itawamba’s Jerhushua Williams blocked and recovered a Phillip Dimino punt at the 3-yard line, ICC starting quarterback Ty Ferrell took the next snap up the middle and into the end zone. The point-after-touchdown attempt was blocked, keeping the score at 7-6 with 5:19 remaining in the quarter.

Despite turning the ball over by fumbling at midfield on their next offensive possession, the Lions’ defense forced a three-and-out and set up EMCC’s next score with a blocked punt of their own by wide receiver Derrick Steele. Four plays later, Henderson found sophomore Lance Lewis in the middle of the end zone for a 23-yard scoring strike with 39 seconds left in the opening period.

On the visitors’ next possession, a 26-yard reverse by sophomore Bill Franks initiated a nine-play, 71-yard scoring drive that culminated with Henderson’s second scoring burst of the game – from 4 yards out – and third of the season. Brett Spencer’s third of four accurate PAT tries on the day put the Lions on top by a 21-6 tally with 9:18 left in the half.

The home-standing Indians looked to cut into the deficit on their ensuing possession, but an incomplete pass from Bret Jefcoat out of a fake field-goal formation on a fourth-and-long attempt kept it a two-score contest. After the two teams traded turnovers late in the half, EMCC benefitted from a successful fourth-and-10 conversion and scored on the final play of the first half. A play after they teamed up to keep the drive alive with an 11-yard connection, Lewis went up high between a pair of ICC defenders to haul in a 30-yard Henderson aerial to make the score 28-6 at the break.

Lewis finished the afternoon with a season-high eight catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns – his eighth and ninth scoring grabs of the year.

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