2016 Combined

Welcome to cdispatch.com Thank you for reading the most visited news source in the Golden Triangle. Non-subscribers are allowed 10 complimentary article/eEdition views every 30 days. You have used 2 views.

Already have an account? LOGIN

SUBSCRIBE for unllmrted access

Deloach becoming impact player on offense at East Central C.C.

Scott Walters November 4, 2016 9:58:34 AM

While there aren't a lot of things for the East Central Community College football team to do socially, whatever the players do, they do it as a team.

"We have really three or four things we do," ECCC freshman tight end Christopher Deloach said. "Whether it is going to eat or going to work out, or whatever it is, we are doing it as a team. When you have a small town, you don't have much of a choice. Going to Meridian is a big thing for us. I really never knew a football team could be this big of a family. That's what we are. It's special." Deloach was a standout defensive player for Columbus High School. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end/defensive end flew under the radar "';th the Falcons, making big plays on defense and getting a little bit of playing time on offense. After getting used to living in Decatur instead of Columbus, Deloach had to get used to leavfog his hard-hitting days as a physical defender behind and becoming a playmaker on offense. 'You can find 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive ends on every street corner," Deloach said. 'You really don't see a lot of tight ends with that size. I knew with my hands and my speed that this would be how I could play (senior college) ball. It has been a transformation. The coaches have believed in me. It has been a good move." ECCC (5-4) will play host to No. 4 Northwest Mississippi C.C. (8-1) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bailey Stadium in the opening-round of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) playoffs. "We really have a great football team," Deloach said. "It was a struggle the first couple of weeks. It is so hard when you have so many new guys. As a freshman, you just have to learn. You have to learn going to class, studying, working out, living together. It just hits you so hard and so fast. I could tell from the first day we had good chemistry. If you have good chemistry, things are going to turn around for you." ECCC opened the season with losses to Holmes C.C. and Northeast Mississippi C.C. From there, things got better and better.

East Central finished 5-1 in South Division play to win its first division title since 1970. The Warriors are in the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in 40 seasons.

'You have to learn your identity," Deloach said. "All teams have to learn their identity. It was a big challenge. Yes, you have got some players who can make plays. However, the other team has players who can make plays, too. We just had to be patient and we had to keep working at things. Going into the playoffs, we have a high level of confidence. We know what we are capable of doing."

AF

CA

ES _______

NEWTON COUNTY APPEAL___

WINSTON COUNTY JOURNAL _____

SPIRIT OF MORTON______

cl \ Cif2 M

CLARION-LEDGER---------

MERIDIAN STAR

~

OTHER