FULTON — Sophomore quarterback Griff Loftis threw four touchdown pass, and Tobias Lofton rushed for 94 yards Thursday night to lead the No. 16 Itawamba Community College football team to a 40-7 season-opening victory against East Cenrtal C.C.
Loftis, of Mooreville, was 27 of 45 for 331 yards. He threw touchdown passes of 25, 16, 8, and 30 yards.
Chris Ingram, of Southaven, added 77 yards and a touchdown as to help ICC amass 524 yards of total offense on Military Appreciation Night.
Freshman kicker Emmitt Dendy, of Houston, put the Indians on the board with a 21-yard field goal at the 5-minute, 19-second mark of the first quarter before Shante Rogers, of Itawamba Agricultural, capped a 69-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown catch in the closing seconds of the first quarter.
ICC took a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter after turning a fumble into a 16-yard scoring toss to JaNardreon Jones, of Noxubee County, before a second 21-yard field goal by Dendy put the Indians ahead 20-0 with 8:12 to play in the first half.
ICC will travel to Summit next week to face Southwest Mississippi C.C.
n Southwest Mississippi C.C. 19, Northwest Mississippi C.C. 15: At Senatobia, Former Columbus High School standout Damian Baker rushed for 143 yards on 27 carries, but the Bears scored 19 unanswered points to rally in the MACJC season opener for both teams.
Despite outgaining the Bears 366-237, the Rangers were just 1-for-4 in the red zone and had two special teams miscues and a turnover on downs late in the fourth quarter.
Chris Jones had 20 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown to lead Southwest. Jamil Golden was 10 of 18 for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Karsten Miller was 17 of 30 for 193 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for Northwest.
Former Pickens County High School standout Terrien Steele had four tackles for the Bears.
Northwest will return to action at 6:30 p.m. Thursday night when it plays host to No. 9 Copiah-Lincoln C.C. at Bobby Franklin Field.
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