2001

Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star FIGHTING HARD- East Central Community College running back Ramon Williams (34) is pulled down by a Jones County Junior College 'defender in last week's South Division showdown. ECCC faces Pearl River

on Thursday night in a game that will decide the South's second playoff spot. opportunity and be in this on the line. I think both Mississippi. The Wildcats situation. There's been teams will be ready to play. have the state's top scoring many year s where I and It should be a good ball- offense, averaging 33.9 East Central have been on game." points per game. the flip side ofthat, so we're Pearl River is 4-1 in the "They run a fast-break proud to be in this situation. South Division and 7-1 offense,~ Underwood saitl. I think our players know overall after last Thursday's "Every play they look to hat's at stake and what's 40-34 vict'lry at Northeast core and they've got a lot of

people to do it with. They're No. 1 passing in the league and No. 1 in total offense. "They've got a great quar– terback (Charlie Reeve) and great receivers and great

DEC -\T"L~ -

Ju~t two

~They•re not as s"rong

It's ju,t something v 've got to elimmate," Unden >od said. "Any time you turn it over more than you get turnovers, you're probably not going io win and that's been true with us with Jones "We've j~lst got to be ready to play Pearl River because it all comes down to this ," Underwood said. "There's not many times in the history of our football program that s oppo um Y· lot of people would love to be take full advantage of that The Warriors' previous 1970 • l981, 1987, and 1999. The l9:39 Learn won the state championship before the and Southwest." , h d thi rt 't A . 't' W , eve got to

running back!->. The) just ,. t..efen,ively, ~ Underwood tribute the ball and put }OU said. "Hopefully. we can po.s- in a lot of situations. We've e-- th b ll d 5 "" e a some an score got a huge challenge defen- .-::ome points our.-elve'. to play zone, he'll pick vou beat them. Jone::. beat tb :m apar t. If you come at him, 24-14 and in that ball~am he's going to try to beat vou .Jones' offense posse,.,.ed over the top. We're going to ball 80-somethin!! sna try to mix it up and hopefully Pos--essmg- the ball offen., sively. If you back off and try ".Jone::. is the only team ItO

weeks ago. the Ea::.t Central Community College War- nors werem greats ape o make the M.ACJC state foot- · · h t But after back-to-hack losses to Jones and South- west Mississippi, the War- riors now have to defeat Pearl River Thursday night or they will be left out of the post season altogether. ball playoffs. • Kickoff in Decatur is set • "It's down to one game,~ ME.• for 6 :30 p.m. ECCC head coach Terry

confuse hi.D) a little bit.

ly and keeping them on

£

''If they do score, we've got field and putti~g poinb

rd are gomg- to be - N

to make them earn the '-'COre t

~-- and n?tjust score a.t will.~ Pnor to the Northeast game, eeve a comp e e "The __ _ 172-of-282 passes for a :::tJlte- R h d 1 t d

_

the Warri

UQ( weve a

n

-

. b

~Yt

are runnmg a ,

Prince 107 yards - ~ R l 10 our posi 100 ·

Under ~·ood

sa1'd

"

b

2 086

d

d

winner keeps playing and' JQ est , the loser packs it up for this

yar san a st-'lt~ gam and Ramon William\R opportunity."

best 20 touchdo\\ n::.. Top t41 ypg quarterback Bnan - N receivers are O'Shek Weekly, Zb~ dmew~~l 83-of-174 :or3E playoff appearances were in Otho Graves , Ike Che'kwa, 993 yard!;, 1 TDs . and wtde

year.

"Wen. ~ ad tCJ

l\'e this -

Nt:vv 1 ~., •••'-·'-'..., ... . ,.GEF and Aaron Dunklin. all of recei'i·er,. Dontay Spillman whom have at lea"t 16 :recep- (33 receptioru for 555 yards,

tions and two touchdov;ns.

5 TDs) and :\!arcus Lee (22

The Wildcats gi\'e up 14.9 r.eceptions for 245 yards).

playoffs began.

nn'into anrl ')~~ ~ • Q?f'lQ n.o't

~n;ll'tn'"'n h~,.l "i"a l"tf"JJ*-,..hoo