2003

I I I I Lakt Me'i\enger, Augu\1 2 7 2003, Page JS "WARRIORS" • 4'Unth•m·cl from page 14

Talented But Young ECCC Warriors Will Take The Field In 2003

team at Georgi" Slluthl!ln University Undcnvood noted that the Wamor'

Coat s, Stacy Si zemore,

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Underwood , no w in is sixth year as Warrior head coach, said he is confident t his year ' s group "will compete and challenge for a successful season like we always do.·· He added , "What we lack in inexpe– rience, we hope to make up w ith talent." T he ECCC head mentor said the Warriors have been worl,mg "very hard" smcc begnuung, prl!season drills o n August I?, ancl ··.1r1.~ responding \\ e ll to what we 'rc trying to do to im– p rove and mature as a team." He added, "This is really a good group of men and a fun group to work with ." Underwood sports a 26-24 overal l mark at East Central, in– c luding last year 's 3-6 record. The Warriors fin– ished third in the always– tough South Division with a 3-3 mark, and missed q ua lifying for t he state playoffs on the last game o f the season - a 20- 13 loss

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to Southwest Mississippi Commu n tty College on the Summit campus. I ligh– lights of the 2002 season included a 6-3 triple over– time w in over the nation– ally ranked and then un– beaten Jones County Jun– ior College Bobcats, and a 23-20 homecommg vic– tory against perennia l power H1nds Community College l_ mkrwood said he is cou nt i ng on his Sl!phllllll>rcs to provtdc the leadership necessary for a wtnning seaso n an d a berth in the state playoffs. Top offensive returnees include fullback Germaine Smith (5-9, 225), a prod– uct of Newton Coun ty Hig iJ Schoo l; ta ilbac k/ w ide receiver Titus Ryan (6-2 , 190 ) from Tuscaloosa (Ala.) County; guard Rudy Su'e (6', 305) from Escambia H igh School in Pensacola, Fla.; tackle Dav1s Carter (6-3, 360) of Louisville; guard See ..WARRIORS" page 14 ,

i)c\lnrc~rs llolna nnd W kicking game should be i•'l'cd I )'(~II'!. [he Wrnri(u g much improved this sea- bcgm !>Cilt;~)n 11CIIO'Il Scr ~ son. freshmen Chris Huff i.•mt.... •ll .•• tL.. t....._, t"'..... •

O DECATUR--Withjust 19 ~ so pho mo res re turning w f rom las t sea son , o ne W would expect East Central 3: Community College head foo thall coach Terry Und~rWI)Od 111 he 'iiiH.!Ing

(5-I I ,200) of Forest nnd MitchMyers{S-8. 160)of McLaurin will handle punting duties, and Myers and freshman Jay McMillin (5-I 1.185) of Winston Academy are re– sponsible for kickoffs, field goals and extra points. Members of Underwood's staffare Tim

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featuring veteran sports announcer Mike Goodwin and game analyst Gilbert Barham.

Coach Terry Underwood the blues. But such is not the case. "We have a very young team th is yea r," Underwood stated ," but that does not mean we can– not win. We have a lot of maturing to do as a team and right now it's a slow process because it takes a while for 36 freshmen to learn a new system."

Tim Coats

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Football Coach Terry Unden vood

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Fred Lyons