2008

WEEK OF ( n . ? " . o y

ECCC

From Page 83

Pearl River regained the lead at 17-14 with 3:21 left in the third on Carlson's 29- yard field goal, set up when Devin McNair intercepted a Taylor pass resulting-in pos– session for the home team at the EC 33- yard-line. The Wildcats took advantage of another • Warrior miscue -a fumble by Hudnall at the EC 27 - and scored four plays later for a 24-14 advantage on a halfback pass from Ike Brown to Drew Ezell covering five yards with 44 seconds remaining in the third period. East Central again rallied and closed the scoring gap to 24-21 early in the fourth period on a one-yard plunge by running back Derrick Cade. The 71-yard scoring drive took just seven plays and was highlighted by Taylor's 1~ yard run to the EC 45, Cade's 9-yard scamper to the 25 and Taylor's 14-yard pass to Langston to the 1-yard-line. It took just one play for the Wildcats to regain a 10-point advantage, as the speed– ster Henry dashed 60 yards to the house for his second tally with 12:17left in regulation. The Warriors responded with a quick score of their own when Langston tallied on a 14-yard run with 10:45left, capping a 68- yard, four-play drive. The key play was a spectacular one-handed catch by wide receiver Kendrick May who hauled in Taylor's pass at the 14-yard-line. The Warriors, who began possession on their 20-yard-line with just 47 seconds remaining, advanced to their own 43 fol– lowing a 23-yard strike from Taylor to May. Then on third-and-4 from the EC 48 with 22 seconds left, Taylor and Langston hooked up on their 48-yard pass play to the 4. The Warriors went for the win on first down with 10 seconds remaining, but Taylor's pass to wide receiver Dustin Alley fell incomplete in the end zone. Crenshaw split the uprights on his 21- yard field goal with 1 second left and sent the game into overtime tied 31-31.

blocked Pearl River's field goal attempt. So I told him that if I sawa seam in the defense l would score," said the former standout at Northeast Lauderdale High School, who also scored in the first overtime period and twice in regulation. Langston's fourth score of the evening - which occurred as late-night show hosts Jay Leno and David Letterman were about to begin their respective monologues - sent the ECCC sideline into a wild cele– bration and provided first-year head coach Steve Cheatham and the Warriors with their third victory in the last four games, improving to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in division play. "I told our guys before the game that a team with character will beat a team with talent every time," Cheatham said. "And this team has tremendous character. They hung in there and found a way to win." After a scoreless first period, the sev– enth-ranked Wildcats found pay dirt on Rashod Henry's 78-yard run with 8:32 remaining until halftime. Corey Caslon made the first of his five PATs on the night. East Central responded to the tally with Langston's first score, a two-yard run with 2:46left before the break. Neshoba Central product Derek Crenshaw connected on the first of his five PATs to tie the score at 7-7. The 49-yard scoring drive took just six plays and was highlighted by Taylor's 17-yard strike to Langston, which gave EC posses– sion on the Wildcat 29, and running back Duke Hudnall's 24-yard scamper to the 12- yard line. The Wildcats regained the lead just before halftime on a three-yard pass from quar terback Emil Jones to wide receiver Sam Robinson with 14 seconds left, cap– ping an eight-play, 71-yard drive. East Central again tied the contest early in third period action on a 7~yard strike from Taylor to wide receiver Donavan Tate.

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