SENATOBIA — Just call him “Big Game Buddy.”
The No. 1 East Mississippi Community College football team defeated No. 2 Northwest Mississippi C.C. 34-6 in Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division play Thursday night at Bobby Franklin Field.
With the win, 11th-year EMCC coach Buddy Stephens moved to 7-0 in games matching the top two teams in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) rankings.
EMCC has beaten Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. twice and now Northwest in regular-season play. In national championship bowl games, No. 1 EMCC has twice defeated the No. 2 team and twice upset the No. 1 team as the No. 2 team.
The highest-ranked team to beat EMCC with Stephens at the helm was No. 4 Copiah-Lincoln C.C. during the 2016 regular season.
Northwest Mississippi C.C. leads the all-time series with EMCC 41-25-1. However, Stephens has led the Lions to victories in 11 of 13 series meetings.
The victory moves EMCC to 6-0 and 3-0 in North Division play. The Lions can wrap up a ninth North Division crown by winning two of the final three games in the regular season.
EMCC has defeated three ranked opponents this season. The victory comes on the heels of a 50-0 victory against then-No. 13 Hinds C.C. and a 24-21 victory last week at then-No. 20 East Central C.C.
Local connection
Former West Point High School standout Chris Calvert leads the Northwest Mississippi C.C. rushing attack. Calvert ran 13 times for 43 yards Thursday, and has scored seven of the team’s 16 rushing touchdowns.
Northwest Mississippi C.C. played without Kevin Perkins, its top returning rusher from last season, who missed the game due to injury.
Former Columbus High School standout Chris Taylor punted 11 times for a 37.1-yard average. He had a long of 45 yards.
Home-field advantage
The South Division champion will play host to the MACJC State championship game.
Entering the final three weeks of the regular season, Jones County Junior College (4-0) and Copiah-Lincoln C.C. (3-0) are the leaders in the division. The head-to-head meeting will be Oct. 20 in Ellisville.
EMCC doesn’t face either team in the regular season.
If two North Division teams meet in the state title game, the North Division regular-season champion will be play host to the game.
In the North Division, Itawamba C.C. (3-1) is second in the North, while Northwest Mississippi C.C. (2-1) is third. Those teams play each other Oct. 25 in Fulton.
This and that
EMCC is 6-0 for the sixth time in Stephens’ 11 seasons as coach in Scooba … Last year’s team also started 6-0 before losing at Northwest Mississippi C.C. … After scoring 50 or more points in four-straight games, the Lions have been held well under that mark (24 against East Central C.C. and 34 against Northwest Mississippi C.C. ) in the last two games … The Lions scored on special teams (punt block return) and defense (interception) to give them six non-offensive touchdowns.
Around the state
Clark Mills’ 51-yard touchdown pass to De’Sean Dinkins in the fourth quarter provided the winning margin Thursday night to lift the Itawamba Community College football team to a 37-34 victory against No. 18 Holmes C.C. in Goodman.
The touchdown pass was one of three on the night for Mills, who helped lift ICC to 4-2 and 3-1 in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division. Holmes C.C. slipped to 3-3 and 1-2.
Mills also hit former Caledonia High School standout Jamel Thomas with an 8-yard touchdown pass and Austin Watkins with a 13-yard scoring pass.
Hiram Wadlington added a 1-yard scoring run. Qua Tucker had a 15-yard touchdown run.
Jesse Wilson had three touchdown passes for Holmes C.C. Dylan Kelly had a 69-yard touchdown catch and a 99-yard touchdown run.
ICC will travel to Moorhead on Saturday, Oct. 13, to face Mississippi Delta C.C. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.
n Chance Lovertich threw six touchdowns passes to lead Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. to a 56-7 victory against Southwest Mississippi C.C. in Summit.
Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. (4-2, 1-2 South) held Southwest Mississippi C.C. to less than 200 yards and piled up 514 yards, and the offense benefited from a couple of Bears turnover forced by the stingy defense.
Lovertich, who played his prep ball at Jackson Prep, was 26-for-31 for 394 yards.
Southwest (1-5, 0-4) had106 rushing yards with its triple-option attack.
n Kalyn Grandberry had 20 carries for 173 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 7 Jones County J.C. to a 48-7 victory against Pearl River C.C. in Poplarville.
Grandberry also caught four passes for 66 yards and another score to post 239 yards of total offense. Quarterback Stetson Bennett was 12-for-19 for 178 yards and three scores for JCJC (5-1, 4-0 South).
JCJC held Pearl River C.C. to 122 yards of offense — 2 yards in the second half — and nine first downs.
The loss dropped Pearl River C.C. to 0-6 and 0-4.
n In other action, Copiah-Lincoln C.C. beat East Central C.C. 42-17 and Mississippi Delta defeated Northeast Mississippi C.C. 41-11.
Hinds C.C. will play at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Coahoma C.C.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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