2008

Warriors t>eat Northeast on field; ·Hinds off field The lirst play from scrimmage set the tone for East Central Community College's 38-7 whip– ping of Northeast Mississippi Community College from u Tiger scoring threat when defen– <>ive end Cedric Hall sacked Northeast quarterback Emanuel hances for a 4-yard loss on fourth– and-8 from the EC 32. yard dash to the end zone was nulli– fied due to a blocking-in-the-back call during the retum. Carter recovered the loose pigskin at the Tiger 34.

wns noli lied earlier in the day that Hinds Community College had for– feited lis 35-21 decis1on over the Wamors due to an mehg1blc play– er, thus puttmg EC's record at 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the MACJC South Division. Cheatham, obviou<;ly elntcd nt capturing two \'ictone~ on the same day, oiTcrl!d praise for h1s offensi' e and defensive units lor the "team victory" over Northeast. " I was really proud of our play– ers. they were so excited and desened the \\111," Cheathnm said ··we played pretty close to a com– plete game on both s1des of the ball and in the kicking game. It wns renlly n team cflort We had a good week of practice and I thought we would play well." Cheatham said the Warriors recc1vcd an unexpected boost when learning about the llinds forfeit earlier in the day. "Not many teams ,.. in two games 111 one day," Cheatham sa1d ,.,ith n smile, "so we were obvious– ly very excited to hear the good news. We now have a chance to make the playofrs and as you knm,. in this league. anythmg 1s possible. We JUSt need to cont1nue to play hard and make things happen. We've been expecting good things to happen to us all year and now they are... Following East Central's first score, the Warrior defense stopped

On EC's fi rst play of the second half the Warriors found the end zone as Taylor and Alley connected on a 34-yard scoring pass play. The Warriors took advantage of another Tiger mtstake moments later and found pay dirt on their second play of the second half when Taylor and Alley hooked up :s: en

The Warriors did manage to score points on the possession. as Crenshaw drilled a 22-yard field goal with 9:35 remaining before halftime. EC missed on another scoring opportunity on its next possession when Northeast tried a fake punt on fourth-and-10 from its own 25. Free safety Bruce Williams stopped Tiger punter Rico King for a short gain and the Warriors were in excellent fi eld position at the Northeast 27. However, the drive stalled and Crenshaw was unsuc– cessful on his! 24-yard licld goal attempt. The Warriors did score on their next possess~bn as Taylor and Langston connected on a 25-yard scoring pass play with 35 seconds !ell belore haltime. Key plays dur– ing the e ight./play, 50-yard drive included a 9-yard pass from Taylor to wide rece·ver Lamar Truman, followed by a J -yard pass play by the same duo the Tiger 19. EC carried a commanding 24-0 lead into the essing room at half– time and w ted little time in padding its a vantage early in the third period, hanks to Tiger mis– cues. Northeast ad taken possession on its 43 foll ing the second-half kickoff, but mbled on first down and Warrior linebacker Randy <(

The EC oiTense responded by marching 64 yards in I0 plays, capped by Langston 's I0-yard touchdown run. Key plays during the drive included Taylor's 16-yard pass completion to Langston to the Northeast 49 and Taylor's 13-yard scramble to the Tiger 10. Ncshoba Central product Derek Crenshaw who broke a toe on his k1cking foot prior to la~t week's homecom– ing contest added the PAr and was successful on all five attempts. Northeast took the ensuing kick– otTand marched from its 0\\ n 14 to the EC 45, only to be denied further penetration thanks again to a sack of the Tiger quarterback, this time by defensi\e end Josh .Lewis. Lewis burst through the T iger defense and tackled frances for a 9-yard loss on third-and-2. forci ng Northeast to punt. The Warriors mot111ted an impressive drive on their next pos– session, marching from the1r 25 to the Northcao.,t 13, only to have the sconng threat nixed when Tiger defender Jeremy Vaughn intercept– ed Taylor's pass in the end zone. The EC' defense once agnin held the Tiger offense in check and forced a ptmt almost rl!su1ting 111 another Warrior <>core. but Langston·:; 35-

Thursday night in school Booneville, as quar- reports terback emmanuel Taylor hooked up with Mauncc Langston for an 85-yard touch– down strike the first of four touchdown passes thrown by the freshman signal caller from Georgia and the first ofthree scores by Langston. a former standout at Northeast Lauderdale lligh School. Taylor, a product of Early County High School in Olakcly, Ga.. fired a 25-yard touchdown pass to Langston in the second peri– od, and connected w11h wide receiver Dustin Alley on 34- and 35-yard scoring pass plays early in third period action, which provided the Warriors w1th a 38-0 cushion and sent many of the Tiger t:1ithl~l home early from the homecoming contest at Keenum Stadium. Taylor ended the night by com– pleting 19-of-27 pas~es lor 382 yards, his best performance as a Warrior. Langston·s other score came on a I0-yard nm midway 1n the second period. East Central's easy victory was especially sweet for tlrst-year head coach Ste\'e Cheatham, who earned his first on-thc:-field win as the ' Warrior head mentor. Enst Centrnl