East Mississippi Community College’s Kirk Merritt finds room to run against Holmes Community College Thursday night.

SCOOBA — No. 1-ranked East Mississippi wasn’t its usual crisp self through the first 30 minutes of play of its matchup against No. 15-ranked Holmes Thursday.

At halftime, the Lions had already been flagged for eight penalties, and their 14 first-half points were the least amount EMCC’s scored through two quarters this season since their season-opener.

Unfortunately for Holmes, football is a four-quarter game.

EMCC rattled off 14 points in just 23 seconds as part of a 28-point third quarter that set the tone for a resounding second half that pushed EMCC to a 49-3 win against Holmes at EMCC’s Sullivan-Windham Field. The win was EMCC’s 17th straight win and 27th consecutive home victory.

“I thought Coach Boykin on offense did a great job with his game plan, and Coach Collins on defense how good was that?” EMCC coach Buddy Stephens said. “That’s probably the best we’ve played that team defensively in a long time, so we’re very happy with that. (We’re) excited for those guys to have such a good game offensively and defensively.”

With 9:55 left in the third quarter and holding a 14-3 lead, EMCC quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr. hit a wide-open Kirk Merritt in the middle of the field, and Merritt proceeded to race into the end zone for the score. On Holmes’ (4-2) ensuing possession, quarterback Jesse Wilson was intercepted by Duke Upshaw, who ran the ball to the Holmes 5 yard line. One play later, Scott Jr. flipped into the end zone to cap a run from 5 yards out which gave the Lions a 28-3 lead.

From there, the EMCC (6-0) rout was on.

Scott Jr. found receiver Dontario Drummond on a 31-yard throw and catch with 4:30 in the third, and Scott Jr. and Calvin Keys Jr. connected for a 57-yarder with just under one minute left in the third to give the Lions a 42-3 lead.

Scott Jr., who transferred to EMCC from LSU this season, ended the night 32 of 39 for 449 yards and five touchdowns, and he rushed for a team-high 53 yards and a touchdown. He completed passes to 13 different receivers.

Six games into his EMCC career, Scott Jr. said his on-field success is the result of the strong relationships he has built off the field with his receivers.

“I think the most important thing is chemistry,” Scott Jr. said. “You’re hanging out with this guy and that guy, and you know they have your back. That’s really good for me as a quarterback to sit in the pocket knowing these guys are going to catch the ball for me.”

EMCC’s Tyrell Price, who entered Thursday’s contest with a nation-leading 11 rushing touchdowns, found the end zone from 1 yard out early in the first quarter to give the Lions a 7-0 lead after the PAT from Taylor Crabtree. Five minutes later, the Lions converted a fourth down play with a touchdown when Scott Jr. hooked up with wide receiver Mike Williams for a 22-yard touchdown to give EMCC a 14-0 lead.

Holmes wide receiver Stephen Burdette brought the Bulldogs down to the EMCC 11 after a 39-yard catch, but the Bulldogs settled for a 26-yard field goal from kicker Connor McKay to make the score 14-3 in the Lions’ favor in the first.

Scott Jr. tossed a 31-yard touchdown to receiver Braden Boykin in the fourth quarter to round out EMCC’s scoring for the night.

Keys Jr. pulled in a game-high 111 receiving yards and a touchdown, and Ty Williams recorded an interception to go along with Upshaw’s. The Lions’ defensive unit recorded four sacks.

EMCC travels to Northwest Mississippi next Thursday, where Scott Jr. said they’ll look to build on this week’s intensity. The game is a rematch of last year’s state championship. 

“As a leader, it starts with me,” he said. “I try to make sure my intensity floods into everyone else, and we have other leaders on the team who also do the same thing. That’s the mindset we want coming into games. From start to finish, we want to go fast.”