East Mississippi Community College used a big fourth quarter to keep a pair of streaks alive Thursday at James E. Miller Stadium in Clarksdale, downing Coahoma 49-20.

It was the Lions’ 12th straight MACJC North Division win and EMCC’s 15th straight win against the Tigers.

EMCC, ranked 10th in the JC Grid-Wire/JCFootball.com poll, led 28-20 after three quarters before wearing Coahoma down late. The Lions used the fourth-quarter outburst to improve to 5-1, 3-0 in the North.

The late domination began on the first play of the fourth quarter when Newton County’s Floyd Graves scored on a 4-yard run to give EMCC a two-score lead.

Preseason All-American quarterback Randall Mackey then connected with Derrick Steele for a 10-yard touchdown at the 11:15 mark, Mackey’s fourth touchdown pass of the night and 17th of the season. Steele earlier hauled in a 27-yard strike with six minutes remaining in the first half that gave the Lions the lead for good.

Pat Shed, who scored from 3 yards out early in the third quarter, ended the scoring with a 1-yard plunge with 3:55 remaining to give EMCC the 49-20 win.

After Mackey connected with Bill Franks on a 30-yard score late in the first quarter, Coahoma responded with a 16-yard scoring pass from Garrick Jones to Hollis Moore II at the 9:24 mark of the second quarter to tie the game.

Mackey then hit Steele in the end zone for the first time on the night to give EMCC the lead back and Coahoma again answered. Brodis Toles scored from 6 yards out for the Tigers, but EMCC blocked the extra point to maintain a 14-13 lead.

Mitchell McCurry then hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Mackey with less than two minutes remaining before halftime.

Following Shed’s first scoring run of the night — the sophomore has a team-high seven touchdowns on the year — Coahoma pulled back within a score on a 3-yard run from Kantrel James.

Brett Spencer hit all seven extra points for the Lions, who host Northeast Mississippi for homecoming on Oct. 10 at 2 p.m.