East Mississippi Community College’s Julian Conner can’t hang on for a reception as he’s hit by a pair of Hinds Community College defenders Thursday night in Scooba.

No. 1 East Mississippi Community College opened its season in dominant fashion with a 50-0 against No. 13 Hinds Community College Thursday night in Scooba.

The win improved head coach Buddy Stephens to 99-13 in his career, and it was also the 21st shutout for Stephens at EMCC.

The Lions scored four times in the first quarter, the first on an 8-yard touchdown run by Deon McIntosh. After a safety at the 9:01 mark in the opening frame, Rashad Eades caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Messiah deWeaver, and deWeaver later hit Kalem Reddix on a 17-yard touchdown throw. 

In the second quarter, McIntosh scored again on a 1-yard carry, and deWeaver hit Don Drummond on a 25-yard touchdown pass. With 42 seconds remaining before halftime, Kalem Reddit caught an 18-yard scoring pass to put the Lions ahead 43-0 at intermission.

EMCC scored one more touchdown late in the fourth quarter on a McIntosh 2-yard carry.

The Lions limited Hinds to just 81 yards of total offense while finishing with 559 total yards themselves (154 rushing and 405 passing). DeWeaver went 25-for-38 in passing for 323 yards and four touchdowns, all in the first half. Vijay Miller played the second half, going 8 of 14 for 82 yards. 

McIntosh led EMCC in rushing with 84 yards on 15 carries, while deWeaver finished with 45 yards on 10 rushes. Reddix caught seven passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns, and Eades finished with three catches for 48 yards. Former Kemper County standout DJ Clayton caught one pass for 11 yards.

Eriq Kitchen had four solo tackles for EMCC, and Everitt Cunningham added four tackles and a sack. JaQuez Akins also had a sack. 

Stephens will go for win No. 100 when EMCC (1-0) travels to Pearl River Community College next week.