2010

EAST CENTRAL COMMUNITY.COLLEGE ...J <( w < 0:: :E z (.) - a:: a:: ....... J-. - .. . East Central battles Southwest inlseason finale '- t/)

from school reports

42-35 to nationally-ranked and division leader Copiah-Lincoln Community Col– lege last week in Wesson. The Bears earned their first division win by clipping Jones County Junior College on Saturday in Summit. In comparing ECCC and Southwest, the Warriors have scored 171 points and allowed 273, while the Bears have tallied 140 points and allowed 216. East Central's offense is ranked fourth overaJJ in the state, averaging 397.3 yards per contest The passing attack is third (226.8) and the rushing unit is rated s ixth (170.5 yards). Freshman quarterback Blake Math– erne continues to be ranked among the state's top pa!ilsers although he missed some playing time due to injuries. Math– erne is rated sixth in the state, having completed 108 of 196 passes for 1,504 yards (188-yard average) and nine touch– downs. He has also thrown nine intercep– tions. Matherne's top receivers are freshman Reggie Hall and sophomore Radarious Owens, a product of Quitman High School. Hall has 29 receptions for 355 yards and one touchdown. He averages 12.2 yards per catch. Owens has 26 recep-

tions for 472 yards and one score. He averages 18.2 yards per grab Matherne is also EC's top rusher, com– piling 437 yards on 94 carries, a 4.7-yard average per carry. He has five touch– downs to his credit. Fres hman running back Bandon Willis, of Philadelphia, has accumulated 283 yards on 52 carries and has one touchdown. Willis is 5.44 yards per carry and 35.4 yards per contest. Rod Hawkins, of Union, has 80 rushes for 394 yards- a 4.93-yard average per carry – and has scored five touchdowns. He aver– ages 49.3 yards per contest. The Southwest offense is ranked 13th overall, averaging 288.1 yards per contest. The Bears are second in rushing (230.4 yards) and 14th in passing (92.9 yards). Sophomore quarterback Mardavian Martin is ranked 14th in passing, com– pleting32 of 61 passes for 471 yards (67.3 yards per contest) and three touchdowns. He has also thrown four interceptions. Freshman Vintavious Cooper, who is also listed as a quarterback on the Bears' roster, is the team's top rusher. Cooper is ranked lOth in the state, compiling 497 yards on 94 carries (5.3-yard average per carry) and five touchdowns. He averages 62.1 yards per contest.

East Central continues to feature two of the state's lop punt return specialists in J.{all and Caleb Porzell. Hall is third with six attempts for 117 yards, a 19.5-yard averJge. His longest return is 72 yards. Por.tRll is four.th with nine returns for 129 yards, an 18.4~yard average. His longest effort is 26 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, EC continues lo be ranked among the state's top r ushing units, allowing 109 yards per contest The Warriors are ranked' l Oth in pas!>ing defense (185.3 yards per contest) and sixth overall (294.3 yards per con– test) . l" reshman linebacker Chris Ficklin leads the Warrior defense and is ranked second among the state's JUCO deft nders. Ficklin is credited with 71 solo stops and 43 assists. second only to Uinds deknsive back Maxie Grahan1 who has 79 tachlt•s and six assists. Other top EC tack– lers include sophomore lineba<.'ker Rufus Williams with 36 tackles and 18 assists; and ,sophomore Jineback('r Damarcus Lewis with 35 solo stops and 25 assists. l..<.~w~i hails from Quitman lligh St·hool. Hast Ct•ntral's turnov<•r margrn is llw higtw.t in tlu~ state at minus n South w~"'..:t rQ next at rninus-3.

DECATUR- Pride and a break-even mark in the MACJC South Division will be on the line for East Central Community College's Warriors who host Southwest Mississippi Community College in the season finale today at 6:30 p.m. at Bailey Stadium. East Central, 2-6 for its first victory against the Bears (2-6 and 0-5) since 2004, when the Warriors claimed a 17-6 decision. The Warriors were edged 21-20 in last year's battle. "This is obviously a very important game lor our football program,~ said first– year head coach Brian Anderson. ''We want to finish the season on a positive note and reach the .500 mark in the divi– sion. which would be a big improvement over 2008 when we did not win a division t·ontest. We also want to stop our losing streak to Southwest, something our players have talked about all week" East Central was mathematically elimi– nated .from post-season play after falling overall and 2-3 in league play, will also be looking

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