1999

George Clark/The eridian Star WARRIOR FIELD GENERALS - East Centra Commun ty College head football coach Terry Underwood ta s h quar– terbacks Ti Garner (2) and Mitchell McKinnon a.. ~ ,..g med a days. ECCC opens its season Thursday night at home against Northwest Commumty College. ECCC prepares to host Northwest By Rocky Higginbotham The Meridian Star onship. Two of the losses were to state champ Jones County.

This year's Northwest squad returns quarterback Jason Johnson, who was a big reason the Rangers led the state in passing yards last year with nearly 27.0 per game. Wide receivers Alvin Powell and Jody Jennings are also back, as is tigh t end Jerry Regues. "It's tough to open wi th Northwest," Underwood said. "But, you have to play in this league every week." Last year, the Warr iors stayed with the Ranger s for three-p lus quarters at Senatobia before eventually falling. This year, ECCC will look to 12 returning starters, including defensive linemen Jamie Nichols and David Daniel.

DECATUR _..: Head coach Terry Underwood is hoping for brighter things during his sec– ond season at East Central Community College. Underwood's Warriors were 3-7 during his initial campaign, and it certainly won't take the 1999 edition long to find out just where they stand. East Central opens its season Thursday at home, as a h igh– powered Northwest squad rolls into Decatur . Kickoff is set for 6:30p.m. Coach Bobby Franklin's Rangers are ranked No.1 in the nation in one junior college poll, and No. 2 in the NJCAA presea– son poll. Franklin, of cour se, down– played the ranking. "Those things are usually just based on what you did the previous year," said the dean of the Mississippi junior college rank s, who has been at Northwest for 19 years. "You don't win anything by being ranked in the preseason." Franklin's Rangers were 9-3 last season, going 6-0 in win– ning the North Division champi-

The Warrior offense, which is expected to throw the ball more, will likely look to sophomore Ti Garner, a transfer from Mississippi State. Garner, origi- nally from Brandon , will proba- :-... ,RA=:-::-::T::-------– bly look to wide receiver Chris Ray, and the Warriors will also ) be counting on offe nse from ---------- returner Steve Henley, a 6-foot, ./ 220-pound bruiser from ----=------– Louisville.

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