2008

WEEK OF &!f -- 0 1-cJ~

Warriors Suffer Season Opening · SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

pointed in the loss," said first– year head coach Steve Cheatham. "We were flat and played with no emotion and intensity; and that's not Warrior football. " Cheatham said the Warriors also need to correct mistakes made on both sides of the ball. "We allowed too many big plays on defense, especially the long punt return for a score and the two long touchdown passes. The roughing-the– punter call early in the third quarter deep in their territory was also a big mistake. We also failed to convert several scor– ing opportunities, including the pass interception in the end zone early in the fourth period when we were down 34-23."

"We did have some positive things to happen on offense and in the kicking game," he noted, "but we have got to eliminate our mistakes and even more important we've got to play with more enthusiasm and get our swagger back." Coahoma quarterback Mar– vin Pittman of Clarksdale found success through the air and on the ground against the Warrior defense, as he complet– ed 14 of 19 passes for 213 yards and two scores - a 20-yard strike to wide receiver LaDarius Daw– son of Rosedale late in first-half action and a 40-yard strike to wide receiver Deangelo Ander– son of Memphis early in the fmal stanza. Pittman was also Coahoma's top r usher, with 15

DECATUR-East Central Community College's new spread offense proved it could score points Thursday night, but the Warrior defense was unable to stop Coahoma's high– powered attack as the Tigers rolled to a 47-31 season-opening VJctory at James E. Miller Field in Clarksdale. The Warriors, who took their only lead in the non-division contest at 7-6 following Kendrick May's 87-yard kickoff return in early first-quarter action. were simply out-gunned by the Tiger squad, which com– piled 494 yards of total offense and had 21 'i. ·st downs. "We were obviously disap-

Loss At Hands Of Coahoma carries for 106 yards.

first downs. Sophomore kicker Derek Crenshaw of Neshoba Central High School was successful on one of two field goals. He nailed a 40-yarder for the only points in the third period and barely missed a 42-yard attempt early in the second stanza. He also connected on three PATs and had one kickoff sail through the end zone. East Central hosts Holmes Community College Thursday in another non-division matchup. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Bailey Stadium. The Bulldogs began season action by dropping a 23-16 deci– sion to PearlRiver Community College Thursday night in Poplarville.

Langston of Meridian had 156 all-purpose yards and led EC rushers with 90 yards on six carries and two scores. Langston, a product of North– east Lauderdale High School, tallied on a five-yard run late in first-quarter action and added a 29-yard touchdown scamper with 1:40 left before halftime. Other top EC rushers were Duke Hudnall, a sophomore running back from Newton County High School, who had 48 yards on 11 carries, and freshman running bac.~ Der– rick Cade of Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Central, 25 yards on five car– ries. In all, the Warriors had 244 yards rushing on 35 carries. East Central registered 20

The other Tiger points came on three- and 11-yard runs by Timothy Graham of Benoit, a 72-yard punt return by Marcus Allen of Clarksdale and a three– yard blast by Katral J ames of Atmore, Ala. David Gallagher of Pensacola was successful on five PATs.

Freshman Emmanuel Taylor had a successful debut as the Warriors' signal caller, connect– APPEAR! ing on 15 of 26 passes for 205 yards. He had one interception. CARTHA• Taylor, a product of Early County High School in Blakely; SCOTT c Ga. , also had 78 yards rushing on 10 carries and scored on a UNION AI 19-yard run late in the game. Sophomore running back and WINSTQjll return specialist Maurice

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