2006

A talent-laden squad along with thp rPturn of football games to War– rior Stadium has Ea!'l entral Com– munit.y College head coach Terry Underwood "cautiously optimistic about the 2006 campaign. Due to damages sustained at War– rior Stadium by Hurricane Katrina, all three of ECCC's "home games" in: 2005 were played at the Newton County High School stadium. The War r iors were winless in all t hree match-ups - Pearl Ri ver, Gulf Coast and Hinds - while earning vic– tories on the road against East Mis– sissippi, Copiah-Lincoln and J ones before falli ng ai Southwest in t he season finale of the seven-game schedule, shortened by the deadly storm. Underwood, who begins his ninth season at the Warrior helm, said returning to Warrior Stadium - where five games are scheduled in 2006- is a big plus for the program. "I love playing home games at Warrior Stadium and our players do, too," Underwood said. "Everything i, e" · •r when you can just walk out of ~ dressing room onto the field, anc that's something we have not expen – enced in a while. "Of course our sophomores anc 'reshmen h ave yet to experience a 1ome game and it's going to be rea: 3Xciting for them to play our first

game at home, e'peciall.} ~mce our ,op en ~c.:o:ippi (6:30 p.m. Tllur,day, August 31. m Warnor ;:tadium). ""\ ere JU't looking forward to n>t.urnmg to Warrior Stadium and _ tting e seac;on underway." • -ot only is Underwood excited bout returning to Warrior Stadium, e is even more excited about this ~ar s team and its possibilities. "We are very optimistic that we ~be much improved on both sides the ball, mainly because we feel we uve been successful in upgrading :;ur talent level," Underwood said. Cnderwood s a id the offense - lrlrich finished sixth overall last year– ) be "greatly improved" thanks to talented returnees and the addition .several players who were recruited .epecifically for East Central's spread ensive attack, installed by first– ear offensive coordinator Mike ~larvich in 2005. Top returnees on offense include ,h Lowry, a 6-2, 193-pound quar– - rback from Sparta, Tenn.; David cCants, a 5-8, 185-pound running k from Tusca loosa, Ala.; Desmond Graham, a 5-9, 190-pound run ning ck from Noxapater; Colby Amis, a 5-l . 175-pound wide receiver from • ·ewt:on Couniy*High School; Kerry