EMCC edges Garden City to win 2nd straight title, 5th in 8 years
Published 11:14 pm Thursday, November 29, 2018
- Coaches, players and staff for the East Mississippi Community College football team pose with the NJCAA National Championship trophy following the Lions’ win over Garden City Community College Nov. 29, 2018 in Pittsburg, Kansas.
Garden City Community College’s last play of the game ended with the football falling on the turf and East Mississippi Community College recovering the fumble. The play not only clinched East Mississippi’s fifth national title, but it was also the perfect closing to a stellar defensive showing by the Lions.
East Mississippi defeated Garden City 10-9 Thursday night at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, to win the 2018 NJCAA national championship. The national title is East Mississippi’s second in as many years.
The Lions capped an undefeated season at 12-0, while Garden City ended its year 10-1.
Eriq Kitchen tallied a game-high 13 tackles with two tackles for losses, Untareo Johnson posted 11 tackles and Everitt Cunningham added eight tackles. Cunningham also netted two fumble recoveries and returned one for a touchdown. Jacob Anderson and Joseph Anderson recorded interceptions.
Josh Smith kicked a 36-yard field goal with 9:59 left in the first quarter to give East Mississippi a 3-0 advantage.
With 12:46 remaining in the second quarter, Cunningham forced a fumble, recovered the loose ball and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown. Smith made the extra-point attempt to push East Mississippi ahead 10-0.
The Broncbusters got on the scoreboard following a 24-yard field goal from Ben Raybon with 4:06 left in the third quarter.
Dedrick Mills turned a Garden City fourth-and-1 into a touchdown via a short scoring run with 7:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Broncbusters failed to convert the ensuing 2-point conversion and trailed 10-9.
Garden City outgained East Mississippi 252-211 behind 236 yards rushing. The Broncbusters entered the championship contest with the nation’s top rushing unit (307.6 yards per game), but through the first two quarters, East Mississippi’s defense held Garden City to just two first downs and 59 yards.
Offensively for the Lions, Deon McIntosh finished with 76 yards rushing on 18 carries. Dontario Drummond pulled in six receptions for 39 yards. Messiah deWeaver was 17 of 29 for 96 yards.
East Mississippi has won five of the last eight NJCAA national championships.
