2010

War riors shock Hinds on last-second field gQal by Loris Jason Loris' 41-yard field goal as time expired lifted East Central Community College's from Warriors to a 37-35 school homecoming victory r eports over Hinds Community connecting on a 14-yard strike to Fabian Johnson to the EC 48 on fourth-and-! 0, followed by a 28- yard completion to Johnson to the Hinds 24 with one sec– It was EC's first on-field wm over Hmds since 2002. ing with 88 yards on 18 carries. In addition to his game-winning field goal, Loris made four of five PATs.

on fourth-and-6. Matherne, a product of Belle Chasse (La.) High School, had his best day as a Warrior. completing 25-of-35 passes for 306 yards and one interception. He scored on a pair of 16-yard runs in the first quarter and added a 13-yard TD toss to Walter Grayson early in the second stanza resulting in a 20-12 lead for the Warriors. Matherne fin– IShed w1th 71 rushing yards on nine carries. Matherne was injured dunng the dnvc when EC was unable to con vert the 40-yard field goal, but shook off the injury to lead the Warriors on the game-winning drive. EC's other score came on run– mngback Rod Hawkms' 3-yard burst with 8:53 left in the thard, which extended the Wamors · lead to 27-15. Hawkins. a product of Union High School, led EC in rush-

EC. wh1ch improved to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in league play. had taken a 34-15 lead on Matherne's 40-yard toss to Reggie Hall with 4:53 remaining in the third stanza Rut Hinds, which dropped to 3-2 and 0-2. rallied to take its first lead since an early 12-7 advantage on Sheppard's 3-yard scamper w1th 2·55 left in the third followed by Sheppard's 47-yard strike to Cordell Valentine as time expired m the quarter, narrowing the EC lead at 34-28. The Warriors were in position to extend their six-point advantage w1th 2:44 left in the contest on Lons' 40-yard field goal attempt, but the snap from center was too high and the Eagles recovered near mtdficld. Hinds scored eight plays later on Sheppard's pass to Willis

"My mind was c lear and I just tried to focus on tbe moment and make a good kick," said Loris, a left-footed kicker from Moss Point. "My teammates provided encour– agement and told me to do the best I can and not to worry ... and that's what I did." Loris said he was " shocked'' when he made the kick. "T just stood there watching the ball sail through the uprights ... it was a great feeling!" Moments after the kick, Loris · was swarmed by teammates with Johnson, who serves as the bolder for Loris' field goal and PAT attempts in addition to playing wide receiver, the fLrSt to congratu- Continued on 68... See Warrion.of

ond remaining, setting up Loris' game-winning kick. "lt was unbelievable ... remarkable," an obviously excited FC coach Bnan Anderson sa~d following the amazing wm before a stand– ing-room only homecoming crowd. "I have seen us pull out some games in the last seconds before in years past. but nothing like this. "After Hinds scored with only seconds remaining, everyone thought it was over except for our kids. It was not a perfect game. but we never gave up and we never quit fighting. The Lord really blessed us today. Our team had faith in each other and that is what you have to have."

College Saturday afternoon at Ba iley Stadium on the Decatur campus. The Eagles had taken a 35-34 advantage on a 2 1-yard touchdown strike from Anthony Sheppard to runningback Matthew Willis with 39 seconds remaining followed by Craig McCraney's extra point. The score was set up by a high snap on an ECCC 40-yard field goal attempt that resulted in a 26-yard loss and gave Hinds the ball at its 49. But after EC took possession on its 34 following the ensuing kick– off, Warrior freshman quarterback Blake Matherne proved why he LS one of the state's top passers by

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EC travels to Perkinston Thursday night to take on previously top-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The Bulldogs suffered their first loss of2010 by falling 30-27 in overtime to Pearl River last Thursday night in Poplarville. Kickoff for the EC-Gulf Coast battle is set for 7 p.m. The Warriors ' last win over the Bulldogs was 10 2002 by a 28-2 1 margin

Warriors... z m Continued from 4B... ~ late rum followed by long- 0 snapper Lester Jackson and aJ other Warrior players and :J> coaches. tJ Defensively, EC was led ~ by Rufus Williams, who 0 accumulated nine solo tack- () les and two assists and was ~ crcdatcd with 4.5 sacks. -t Williams and Matherne have.' hnn nommated for MA<'H Pl.l)'l"l uf tht• Week hu11111 , h tlu• I ( ( ( cuat h irut ftrniT.

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Hinds' other scores came on Willis' 28-yard run fol– lowed by a 23-yard fumble return by linebacker Zach McKee, both during first– quarter action, and McCraney's 46-yard fi eld goal with 42 seconds left before halftime, which cut the EC lead to 20-15

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