2002

Smith's TD Catch Gives ECCC 23-2 Homecoming

It Will simply be l.:nown as "the catch "Ronald Smith\ unbelievable touchdown grab off a tipped pass in the end zone with just over eight minutes remammg lifted East Central Community College to a stwmi.ng 23-20 Homecoming win over Hinds Community College Saturday afternoon at Warrior Stadium Smith. a freshman wide rece1ver from Daphne, Ala, had fallen to the rurf \\'hen he hauled in the 26-yard aenal from sophomore quarterback J-..e\ n Stephens of Troy, Ala. The PAT faded and left open the possib1hty of a game– tying field goal that would send the con– test into overtime, but Scott Zmgery's 40-yard attempt with 59 seconds remaining was wide left and t"'e Warriors held on to claim the South Di\is10n victory and keep then playoff 'lopes alive. Head coach Terry Underwood, who omed other coaches and players in a post-game \ictory dance, was obviously elated following the upset victory O\er the Eagles, who were nationally ranked earher in the season. "It was a huge win for our program. '.Vhen we \\ere 1-4, things were not going well. Then we beat two quality eams. Jones and Hinds. Our coaches and players never quit and showed the ..md ofcharacter they are made of. Hopefully we can build on this win.

Zmgery put Hmds out front again on l!!s :! -> ard field goal with six minutes eft m first period, but the lead was short h\ed. as East Central would later per- ectly execute a fake punt. Facing fou1th tnd three from the EC 42, Warrior soph– omore Josh Viverette of Lake, who is also a starting liuebacker, took the snap from the short-back posi– tion and ram- bled 58 yards

lead at 20-17 by succe,~fu~ 19-yard field goal wtth : remaining to Intermission The East Central defense high-powered offense !Tom the second hal( which pleased UndetWood

di\iSJon. needs •• \iiss1 SSippl C'CEI:m:~:cy ""... ~~·,

3) on OccOOcr J I loss b;> Gulf C

din the first half, ne1thtr t=

stop the other.

We told our team at bil whichever defen~e stepped win the game, and our gU) s to the challenge. The offense also pill) Scoring 23 points on a Hmd major accomplishment M u·~,~~,~-~ said. Both teams piled up yardage. Lnofficially. Hmds total yards. with 31 S ) uds through the air. East Central had l-4 >ards and 146 passing for a 3. Sophomore runrung ba.: Withams of Daphne, Ala. r the lineup follow mg an earl\ mjury and led \\arrior rusheTs yards on 18 cames East Central v.,ll take on sion foe Northwest Community College tl' 1:30 kickoffon the Senmoba The Rangers(3-l o\c-rall, ~-2 defeated East :.1iss1sS1pp Saturday afternoon S~

Rher(5-2 4-0 inch s clinched a pi~'Off $pol. or Jones {~-2 2-2) to ensure 1 ~eond- straight shot at the ,.tate m.Je

to pay dtrt. Running back Titus Ryan of Tuscaloosa, Ala., scam– pered for the two-point con-

East Central fell .to Delia on 1 la.st-s:.:aod field ~"l'ai m first·roand ·~...,r. - last ) ear. The Eagle:.. who shpped ,_, ~ 3 and :!-3, took an early 6-D lead on Mason Denham's two-~ard tou~hdo-.\n pl~e Wlth 9 54 left m the opernn sw:n. Zingef) 's PAT failed II took East Central Jib· a!x:: iJl a mmute to ue the contest, ~ Stepbcns connected with Smtth on a o;creen pass and the speedster galloped 78 ya.rds to the end zone. Travares OslC) of HUC)10Wn. Ala • missed the PAT.

versation. giving East Central a 14-9 lead

foli0\\1ng first-quarter action. Hmds regained the lead early in the econd stanza, when quarterback Terrance Matthews, a freshman from Beaumont, Texas, fired a 27-yard strike to wtde receiver Darius Wilson of Jackson. That same combo hooked up on the two-point conversion and the Eagles led 17-14. Warrior place-kicker Jacob Swayze ofOhve Branch tied the contest on his 29-yard field goal with 9:04 remaining before halfume. Zingery gave Hinds the

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