2007

o. 3 Gulf Coast

ECCC falls Nationall} ranked ~Ls­ sissippi Gulf Coast Com– munity College held off a determined group of East Central Community Col– lege Warriors Thursday night and escaped with a 41-24 decision at A.L. May Memorial Stadium on the Perkinston campus. The Bulldogs, ranked third in the latest NJCAA poll and second according to the J.C. Grid Wire rat– ings, improved to 6-0 over– all and 4-0 in the MACJC South Division, while East Central dropped to 2-4 and 0-4. For the Warriors, it was another tough loss to a nationally ranked team. "We just did not do what we needed to do to win the game," said ECCC head coach Terry Underwood, whose squad also lost close decisions to national powers Jones County and Pearl River. "But our focus now is on our remaining three games and we hope to fmish the year on a pos– itive note."

more than 100 yarcb per contest. East Central alc;o scored on a 27-yard strike from quarterback Deon Williams to wide receiver Michael Townsend late in third quarter action, which brought the War– riors within three points at 20-17. Williams, a product of Tuscaloosa (Ala.) County High School, was injured late 'in the frrst quarter and returned to action in the third period. He fin– ished the night by com– pleting seven of 13 passes for 86 yards. He also rushed nine times for 41 yards. Back-up quarter– back Jacob Massey of Union completed two of five attempts for 18 yards. Massey had 20 yards rush– ing on five attempts. East Central's first points came in dramatic fashion, as placekicker Beau Hannah of Morton boomed a 50-yard field goal as the first half expired, cutting the Gulf Coast advantage to 17-3. Hannah also connected on three PATs. SCORING SUMMARY Gulf Coast took a 3-0 lead on Sean Brauch's 25- yard field goal with 41.9 seconds left in the first period. The Bulldogs scored twice in the second stanza, the frrst tally com-

ing on a 27-yard pass from quarterback Genario ~lcNealy of Perr}: Fla.. to wide receiver Akeem Sim– mons of Moss Point with 6:33 remaining, followed by a one-yard plunge by running back Trey Hob– son of Pascagoula with 35 , seconds left before half– time. Brauchle, of Biloxi. added both PATs. Hanna's career-best field goal was set up by Katlan French's 30-yard kickoff return to the Gulf Coast 40 yard line. French is a product of Starkville Academy. After forcing the Bull– dogs to punt on their frrst possession of the second half, East Central marched 65 yards in just six plays, climaxed by Ross' 29-yard run to pay dirt. Massey engineered the scoring drive, which featured his 13-yard pass completion to Townsend and a 17-yard run by wide receiver Freddie Parham, a product of St. Clair County High School in Margaret, Ala. The Warriors host Copi– ah-Lincoln Community College in this Saturday's homecoming battle, which kicks off at 2:30 p.m. at Bailey Stadium. The Wolves are 1-5 overall and 1-3 in league action follow– ing last week's 37-0 loss to Hinds Community Col– lege.

Sophomore Roosevelt Ross was again the workhorse for the Warrior offense, as he scored on second-half runs of 29 and 61 yards en route to a 148- yard performance on 10 carries. Ross, a product of Ocala-Forest (Fla.) High School, continues to be ranked among the state's APPEARED IN: top rushers, averaging CARTHAGINIAN ---------------- SCOTT COUNTY TIMES UNION APPEAL ---------------------- VV!NSTON COUNTY JOURNAL --------- SPIRIT OF MORTON V --~-------- ----------------

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MERfDIAN STAR -------------- CLARION-LEDGER -------- IMPACT --------------------

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