2016 Combined

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EAST CENT~L from page Cl a nine-play drive that covered 61 yards. Freshman running back Dewayne Barnett accounted for 48 of those yards on three carries to set up an 18-yard scoring toss from

resort to past second half perfor mances, as again, on its second play of the drive, Hinds put the ball on the ground and Juwon Hayes Keyes pounced on it to give the Warriors the ball. EC needed only two plays as Barnett reached pay dirt for the second time in the game with a 21-yard jaunt. Garrett's PAT split the uprights to extend the lead to 42-0 with 13:39 left in the third quarter. Hayes-Keyes ended the next Eagles possession with his second interception in the quarter. The Warriors. went 25 yards in seven plays before the drive sty mied and Garrett had to come in and hit a 39-yard field goal to make the score 45-0 with five minutes left in the third frame. Hinds scored twice late in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors shut the door way before that and coasted to the 45-14 division win. Barnett finished the day with 87 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Nix with 78 rushing yards. Marino went 8-of-14 for 90 yards and three touchdowns. Songster had a sack, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery. Keyes had two interc~ptions and three passes defended, and Davis picked off two passes, returning one for a touchdown. East Central will return to action next Thursday when it travels to Northwest Community College.

Dom Marino to Devonta Jones. Meridian High School product, Aaron Garrett, hit the PAT to give EC a 7-0 lead with 11:36 remaining in the first quarter. The Warriors defense forced a turnover on Hinds' second play from scrimmage when a Warriors defender stripped the ball, and Xavier Williamson pounced on it to set the Warriors up at the Eagles 29-yard line. EC would only need three plays for Marino to find Antonio Gibson, who oqt jumped an Eagle defensive back to come down in the end zone with a 25-yard scoring reception. Garrett remained perfect with the PAT to push the Warriors lead to 14-0 at the 9:22 mark in the first frame. Hinds took the ensuing kick,' and again on its second play, big Jalon Sangster sacked the quarter back, stripped the ball and recov ered the fumble to give his offense another short field at the Hinds 14-yard line. Marino tossed his third touch down pass of the quarter four plays later when he connected with Chris Deloach in the end zone from 11-yards out. Garrett's kick made it 21-0 with 7:46 still to play in the opening quarter. The Eagles took the kick and again turned the ball over. Malik

Paula Merritt I The Meridian Star

East Central Community College's Noah Nix is wrapped up by Hinds Community College defenders after a gain Saturday after noon in Decatur.

Davis intercepted the football after it was knocked up in the air offan Eagles receiver's foot, giving the Warriors the ball at their 29-yard line. Barnett and West Lauderdale High School's Noah Nix reeled off two runs each before Barnett bulled in from 2-yards out. Gar rett's kick made it 28-0, with Hinds only having ran six offensive plays and the clock showing 5:22 still to play in the first quarter. The Eagles took the ball and moved it down the field, and forced Hinds to attempt a 47-yard field

goal try that sailed wide right. The Eagles forced an EC punt and drove down to the Warriors 20, but the defense stiffened again, forcing the Eagles to attempt a 36-yard field goal that was no good. East Central ended the first half scoring when Davis stepped in front of an Eagles pass and returned it 23 yards for a pick-six. Garrett connected for his fifth extra-point of the half to send the teams into the locker rooms with the score sitting at 35-0. The fans didn't have to wait long to see if the Warriors would

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