1977-1982

Area Roundup JEMJC Whips EC - I By JASON BIRD Star Correspondent

DECATUR - Apair of Meridian High products ?amed up in the closing minutes here Saturday ight to spark East Mississippi Junior College to a 1-27 come-from-behind victory over archrival last Central. With 1:55 left on the scoreboard clock, quarter-. I back Ed Smith rifled a 34-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Eric Willis to provide the game- inning heroics in the regular-season finale for I o~!%l%~~pleted15of 27 passes for 230 yards to 2ark the Lions. Although the loss was heartbreaking for coach en Pouncey's East Central team, they received >megood news following the offensive shootout. , Copiah-Lincoln had just defeated Gulf Coast ' 1-14,which landed the Warriors a South Division layoff berth against Holmes. 1 Both teams battled on equal terms in the open- 1 ~gquarter, scoring a touchdown apiece. EMJC drew first blood midway in the quarter ,hen running back Danny James bolted up the iiddle for 88 yards and a touchdown. Jerry Hallmark added the extra point. East Central tied the game late in the stanza when runnin back Ronnie Parker scored on a 5-yard touch cf own run to conclude a 70-yard drive. I East Central took the lead midway in the second quarter when quarterback Jeff Kennamer fired a 12-yardscoring aerial to Parker. ToddWall's PAT gave the Warriors a 14-7 lead. The Lions pulled within four points (14-10)late :1 the auarter when Hallmark booted a 30-yard eld g&l. EMJ o~ e n e d the second half with a bang as mithtos'sed a 39-yard touchdown pass to ~ i l f i a m ,ell. Hallmark's extra point id the Lions on top, 7-14. East Central countered with 13 points to take a 7-17 lead into the final quarter on the strength of ~uchdownpasses of 30 and 25 yards from Ken- amer to Bruce IvIcGee and Tony Baker espectivdy . The Warriors failed on a two-point conversion n the first TD and elected to boot an extra point ~llowing the second score. In a wild fourth quarter, the Lions cjawed the larriors on the strength of a 1-yard lunge by nK Irmer Lamar School standout Bobby yers with : 10 remaining to ull within three points (27-24). The stage was t \ en set for East Mississippi's ramatic last-chance drive to win the game. "The season was disappointing, but when you in a game like this, it d6es your team some ood," said East Mississippi coach Randall bradberry.' ' The Lions concluded the season with a 4-6mark. last Central ends the regular season with an iden- lcal mark. -