EMCC routs Co-Lin to repeat as junior college state champs

Published 5:00 am Sunday, November 9, 2014

WESSON — After giving up 480 yards of total offense and 54 points, Copiah-Lincoln finally found a way to slow down East Mississippi Community College’s potent offense.

As the Lions gathered on the turf of Stone Stadium following their 54-15 win in the MACJC Championship game to have a team picture taken with the final score behind them, the power to the scoreboard was cut off.

“I’m just happy to come out of the game with a win and have a chance to play for the National Championship,” said EMCC had football coach Buddy Stephens. “Our defense played lights out. Jordan Lesley (defensive coordinator) and the defensive staff did a good getting those guys ready. It’s hard (to win) when you only have 15 points.”

The Lions, ranked No. 2 in the country according to the latest NJCAA poll, held Co-Lin to just 71 yards of total offense over the first two quarters on the way to building a 33-3 halftime lead. The EMCC defense recorded three interceptions — two by Allen Sentimore — and a fumble recovery, as well as forcing the Wolfpack to turn the ball over on downs twice.

The win pushed the Lions to 11-0 on the season and stretched its school record winning streak to 23 games.

Next up for East Mississippi is a potential bowl game, most likely either the Mississippi Bowl in Biloxi or the Graphic Edge Bowl in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Both games are set to be played on Dec. 7. That will likely be determined on Tuesday when the final NJCAA rankings are released. The No. 2 team will play at the No. 1 ranked team according to the final NJCAA poll.

If Iowa Western remains No. 1, the Reivers would play host to EMCC in Cedar Rapids, assuming the Lions remain No. 2. If EMCC moves to No. 1, then the Lions would get a chance to play for its third championship in four years in Biloxi, the site of their 52-32 win over Georgia Military last year.

“I think we are the best football team in this country,” Stephens said, when asked if he thought his Lions would be invited to defend its 2013 NJCAA National Championship in the 2014 title contest.

“We will have to find out from the national office what they do. I have no idea what they are going to do. We have called and asked for the (ranking) formula but they won’t give it to us.”

The Lions scored three first-quarter touchdowns and added a pair in the second quarter to take the commanding halftime lead. EMCC’s first-quarter scores came on a 17-yard pass from Chad Kelly to Todd Mays, a 1-yard run by Mays, and a 30-yard pass from Kelly to Desmond Goss.

After the Lions stretched it out to 27-0 on a 31-yard fumble return for a score by Lorenzo Phillips. Co-Lin cut it to 27-3 on a 40-yard field goal by Greg Nickles, only to have the Lions add a touchdown on a 1-yard run by Preston Baker with 53 seconds left in the half.

EMCC picked up second half touchdowns on a 17-yard pass from Kelly to Isaac Johnson, a 15-yard pass from Wyatt Roberts to Johnson, and a 47-yard pass from Roberts to Camion Patrick.

“We had something to prove,” Johnson said. “We are No. 2 right now and everybody thinks we can be beat and we can’t be beat. We are trying to prove we are the No. 1 team in the state and in the nation. There is no question we should be in the (National) championship game.”

Johnson, a Meridian High Graduate, led the Lions with six receptions for 117 yards.

Kelly hit on 28-of-38 passes for 315 yards to lead the EMCC offensive attack, while Allenzae Staggers had five catches for 52 yards. Nine different receivers caught passes from Kelly and Roberts on the night.

Sentimore, who has 15 interceptions for his career and six for this season, has picked off four passes over the last two games. “They just weren’t coming my way,” Sentimore said of having just two interceptions nine games into the season. “But now they have started coming my way. I just try to get a break on the ball and good things happen,”

Baker, a sophomore from Starkville High School who led EMCC in rushing with 48 yards on 11 carries, said the Lions came into the game hoping to take a convincing win.

“It was very important,” he said. “We focused all week and came out and did the job. It has been three years since I’ve lost a football game, so it’s been pretty good.”