2006

ECCC, EMCC ick off season ':t By Marty Stamper staff writer

SERIES AT A GLANCE WHEN: Tonight, 6:30p.m. ..., WHERE: Warrror Stadium, Decatur

East <:entral Community C?llege and East ~fississippi Commumty College waste no lime getting what amounts to - - two of their biggest games of the year out of

the way when they tangle tonight at newly– renovated Warrior Stadium in Decatur. · "As a coach, you say there's l\vo games you don't worry about your team being ready to play," said ECCC: ninth-vear head coach Terry Underwood "Usual!~· it's vour

QUICK FACTS

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ECCC 1eads series 32-24-4

ECCC has won four straight in series LAST YEAR: ECCC won 26-0 LAST YEAR: ECCC 3-4; EMCC 2-5 RADIO: KICKS 98 (98.3 FM)

- opening game and your rival game. We and ~cooba have the samt> deal. We're both opening up and it'~ a nvalgame. "I don't think there will be any lack of inten,il\' for both teams to want to be successful in the first game." · ."ECCC is one of the schools that's do e.;;t to uc:." E fCC th!rd-year head coach Roger Carr said. "The}'re about 30 mtles down the road from Meri 1an. 1t j, a rival for uo:::.and

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we're ~oping we can plar better this year and it be a good b~ I game. • ECCC won 26-0 last year to take a 32-24-4lead in the seri~ F

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which began in 1929. Two other factor:. plar inta this) ear's t.:ontest. It is th<' War– riors' first home game smcc they played jones on Oct. 28, 2004, as the entire 2005 home :.late was moved to Newton County High School due to damage from Hunicane Katrina to Warrior Stadium. "It's been over a year since we've played here... Underwood said. "We don't have a single kid that's played in this sta– dium. That's kiild of unique. That ought to add even more to our first opening game here. ''It's always better when you can walk out your dressing room door and go on your own field.~ Another ingredient in this year's rivalry is the number of players ECCC has from EMCC's recruiting district. "There's a lot offamiliarity," Underwood said. "We recruit very hard outside our district and that's ont> of the areas we recruit hard.

Rivalry From Page 81

Key veterans for the War– riors are quarterback Josh Lowery, running back/wide receiver David McCants. run– ning back Desmond Graham, wide receiver Colby Amis, offensive guard Kerry Hudson, offensive tackles ~1entrell Ledbetter, Ross Tew and Johnathan Pickens; kicker I punter Grey LaPrade, linebackers Ivon Hickmon and Andrew Harrington, defensive end Keith Spann, defensive lineman Kenyon Boatman, and defensive backs Gary Lindsey and George Lowe.

school havP one former Florida :State University player on tlieir roster. For E~lCC. it's 6-foot-7, 335- pound ofiensive tackle Courtney Abbott. For ECCC, it's 0-foot-6. 218-pound free safety Kenny Ingram. Top returnees for the Lions are wide receiver Steven Black, quarterback Chris Mitchell, outside line– backer LaMarcus Cooper, tight end Marquez Branson, running back Eric Vaughn, inside linebacker Matt Pierce. offensive lineman D~rrick Outlaw and defen– sive tackle Marcus Rowe.

leaving the others fair game to the other schools. "\\'e can't protect them all and they'll go into Meridian and get some." Carr said. "Terr} is a good fCiotball coach and has been in this league long enough to know what it takes to win. He's a fierce competitor. "I think it's going to be a good ballgame this year. I'm looking forward to it." The former teammate rivalry isn't limited to just the Mississippi players. Both

"We signed four from Meridian this year. We've got four from Columbus and one from Kemper County. They're playing against their old high school teammates, plus a lot of them played against each other in high school. That makes it an even more interesting affair." Mississippi jucos are allowed to protect 22 players from their district each year,

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