It was double overtime of the MACJC state title game Nov. 11. East Mississippi had just scored a touchdown to cut Northwest Mississippi’s lead to 66-65.

The choice was to either kick the high-percentage extra point and tie it, sending the game into a third overtime, or go for two and either win or lose.

EMCC opted to go for two, and quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr. rolled to his right and found former Meridian High School standout Daniel Crowell to his left in the back of the end zone for the 67-66 win, giving EMCC its sixth MACJC championship in 10 seasons.

For Crowell, it was a redemption of sorts. In 2016, the Lions lost their season opener against Jones County Junior College 27-25. EMCC was without half of its roster due to suspensions that resulted from a fight in the 2015 season finale against Mississippi Delta, but the Lions still managed to score a touchdown late and tried to go for two. Crowell didn’t make the catch then, and though he never beat himself up over it, Crowell admitted it was a sweet feeling to make the game-winning catch to send his team to the NJCAA national title game.

“I was proud of myself,” Crowell recalled of the moment he made the catch. I knew we were going to nationals; that’s what it was all about. It means a lot (to make that catch), but to me it’s all about us having a good team, because the team played their hearts out. So many people contributed to the win.”

EMCC head coach Buddy Stephens said he couldn’t have been more proud of Crowell in that moment. Stephens insisted, however, that Crowell had nothing to prove by making that catch, as the sophomore receiver had already shown himself to be tremendously valuable to the team.

“As a coach, you don’t realize he was even thinking about those things,” Stephens said. “I feel like I fell short because I didn’t console him enough to let that play go. For us (as coaches), that play was over and done with. For him personally, I think it was a redemption moment that wasn’t needed. He has not had to redeem himself for anything as far as we go as a team. If he felt that burden, and this lifted it, I’m grateful and blessed he had the opportunity to do so.”

In fact, Stephens said there was no hesitation to send the ball Crowell’s way on that two-point conversion.

“The quarterback had a couple of options on that, but the primary option is Daniel,” Stephens explained. “The play that night was going to Daniel, period.”

There was also no doubt in Daniel’s mind he would make the play.

“Before we went on the field, we knew we were going for two,” Crowell said. “We knew the play was going to work, because we had never run it in a game. It was easy. The defense wasn’t ready for it.”

After a standout career at Meridian, Crowell arrived in 2016 to EMCC and realized he had to quickly adjust to being one of many options at receiver instead of the primary one like he was as a Wildcat.

“I think I’ve grown a lot,” Crowell said. “At Meridian, I was used to getting the ball. When you come here, you have to learn that you can’t get the ball every play. Sometimes you have to block for another guy to score. You have to learn to be a leader. It was good to learn all of those things, because when I get to the next level, I won’t get the ball every play, either.”

Stephens said he’s come to admire Crowell’s tenacity and his unselfishness since Crowell started playing for the Lions in 2016.

“Daniel’s always been a very competitive, fiery player,” Stephens said. “He loves competition, and he loves big-game moments. He’s a go-to guy. When you need a play, you go to Daniel. He has performed exceptionally well in his two years here. He will play on every special teams (play), and he would play defensive tackle if you asked him to. He’ll do whatever it takes to help us win.”

EMCC football is known most for two things: competing for championships and being featured on “Last Chance U,” a Netflix documentary that has followed the school for its first two seasons. Crowell said despite whatever fame “Last Chance U” brought EMCC, it hasn’t brought any added attention to the football players on the EMCC campus.

“People don’t just know us for that,” Crowell said. “We’re just regular students that play football.”

As for the championships part, EMCC is slated to take on Arizona Western for the NJCAA title Dec. 3 in Perkinston. The Lions practiced in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Monday and in Starkville Tuesday, and Crowell said Monday the team is focused on bringing another national title to Scooba.

“We’ve seen some film (on Arizona Western), and we’re putting together a game plan,” Crowell said. “We’re not done yet, but we pretty much know what we’re going to do.”

It will be Crowell’s last game as a Lion, but wherever Crowell goes after this season, he said he wants to represent Meridian the best way he possibly can.

“That means a lot,” Crowell said. “It’s the city that’s made me who I am. I wouldn’t be who I am if not for Meridian.”

Crowell is the son of Daniel and LaTonya Crowell.