2010

._:; ~ l l I · ECCC Warriors begin ~ second season' ~

west. The Wildcats are led by ninth-year head coach Tim Hat– ten who sports a 67-16 record, including one national title and four state championships. "This is the best Pearl River team I have seen in my tenure," said Anderson, whose Warriors remain winless in three starts against the MACJC North Divi– sion opponents Northeast (34-6), Northwest (41-26) and Itawamba (21-14). "They have tremendous ski lls on offense as well as defense. We must be at our best." Although the Warriors are 0-3, the "second" and "most impor– tant" season - the MACJC South Division schedule - gets under way with the 7 p.m. battle at Pearl River. .we have to put the losses "

pound freshman s ignal caller test. His top receiver is Steve yards per contest. from Boothville, La., is rated the McNair, Jr., a 6', 180-pound Warrior freshman Chris Pick– state's fourth-best passer. Math- freshman from Hattiesburg, who lin of Forest continues to lead the erne has completed 47 of 8 1 pass- also leads the state in receptions. state in tackles with 27 solo stops es for 622 yards, a 207.3-yard McNair, son of the late NFL quar- and 17 assists. Ficklin, a 5-11, average. He has three touchdown terback Steve McNair, has 23 195-pound linebacker, is a prod– passes to his credit and two inter- grabs for 209 yards and one uct of Scott Central High School. ceptions. His top receiver is Reg- score. He is a product of Oak He earned NJCAA Defensive gie Hall, a 5-9, 170-pound fresh- Grove High School. Player of the Week honors fol– man from Monroe. Hall, who is McNair also leads the state in lowing his performance in the ranked sixth in the state, has 15 kickoff returns. llc is credited Northwest game on Sept. 9 in catches for 206 yards. He is a with five returns for 167 yards, a Senatobia. He was credited with product of Neville High School. 33.4-yard average. EC's Caleb 13 tackles - including four for Radarius Owens, a 5-11, 180- Porzell of Silver Springs, Md., is minus yardage - four assists, 1.5 pound sophomore from Quitman, ranked third, with s ix returns for sacks, a forced fumble and a fum– is ranked 11th in the state. Owens 172 yards, a 28.7-yard average. ble recovery. has 12 catches for 183 yards and His longest return is 45 yards EC's Gabe Loper ofDecatur is one touchdown. Porzell is a product of Our Lad> also one of the state' s top tack- Matherne is also EC's top of Good Counsel High School lers. The 6-4, 195-pound defen– rusher and is ranked fourth in the Hall has nine returns for 210 sive back has 17 solo stops and state. He has 52 carries for 281 yards, a 23.3-yard average, and is five assists. Loper is a product of yards, a 93.7-yard average. He is ranked seventh in the state. His Newton County High School. credited with one rushing TO. longest return is 44 yards. Miscues have plagued the Pearl River's offense is ranked Hall is second in punt returns Warriors during the 2010 cam- s ixth, averaging 367 yards per and Porzell is ranked fourth . Hall paign, as evidenced by the contest. The Wildcats are second has four returns for 102 yards, a squad 's minus seven turnover in passing at 288.7 yards per 25.5-yard average. His longest margin. Pearl River is plus four in game and last in rushing offense, return is 72 yards Porzell has the turnover rate. averaging 78.3 yards per game. three returns for 55 yards, an The ECCC/Pearl River match- Wildcat freshman quarterback 18.3-yard average. His longest up can be heard on the ECCC Melvin German of Ft. Myers, effort is 24 yards. Web site (www.eccc.edu) featur– Fla., is the state's top passer. Ger- Defensively, the Warriors are ing broadcasters Melvin Wooten man, a 6-3, 190-pound product of ranked seventh overall, allowing and Gilbert Barham. Dunbar High School, has com- 309 yards per contest. EC is fifth Fans can also keep up with pleted 86 of 124 passes for 826 in rushing offense, allowing 106 game action on Twitter yards and ftve touchdowns. He is yards, and seventh in passing @Go_Warriors and on Facebook averaging 275.3 yards per con- offense, where they give up 203 at East Central Warrior Football. -- -- -- a.

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

DECATUR - lf the past two seasons are an indication of what's to come, then East Central Community College's MACJC South Division opener with Pearl River Community College Thurs– da)' night in Poplarville should be another classic match-up. The Wildcats escaped with a 30-27 overtime win in 2009 in the season ftnale at Bailey Stadium in Decatur, a year after the Warriors rallied for a 44-38 double over– time thriller at Dobie Holden Sta– dium. Warrior head coach Brian Anderson, who began his tenure as EC's offensive coordinator in 2008 and served in the dual role of offensive coordinator and interim head coach last season,

said EC will need to play its best behmd us and concentrate our game of the year to knock off the e~orts on the ,~ivisio? games," Wildcats, who improved to 2-1 satd And~rson. We sttll have an overall and 1-0 in the South Divi- opportuntty to have a good sea– sion following last week's 35-21 son and if we continue to play decision over Southwest in Sum- hard and eliminate our mistakes mit. we can fmish strong." Pearl River began the season East Central owns the state's with a 27-17 loss to Northwest top offensive unit, averaging 453 followed by a 34-14 thumping of yards per contest. The Warrior Itawamba. The Wildcats were passing attack is ranked third ranked 13th in the NJCAA poll with a 264-yard average per game prior to the 20 I 0 campaign and and the rushing offense is eighth continued to be ranked in the top at 122.3 yards per game. 25 prior to their win over South- Blake Matherne, a 5-9, 180-