GOODMAN — Typically, late season is when the East Mississippi Community College football team is on the prowl for style points.
On Thursday night at Ras Branch Stadium, No. 5 EMCC survived an intense battle with No. 16 Holmes C.C. before coming away with a 63-49 victory.
The win helped EMCC extend its Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division winning streak to 22 games.
“It was all about getting a win,” EMCC redshirt freshman quarterback De’Andre Johnson said. “We knew early on we would have to match scores. As an offense, we accepted that challenge.”
EMCC (5-1, 4-0 division) won its fifth-straight game to clear a path for next Saturday’s 2 p.m. showdown against No. 1 Northwest Mississippi C.C. (5-0, 3-0) on Homecoming in Scooba. Northwest Mississippi C.C. will face Coahoma C.C. on Saturday.
EMCC can wrap up its eighth-straight division title with a victory against Northwest. A victory in that game or the following week at Coahoma would virtually lock up a playoff berth for a ninth-straight season.
“We did a great job of not looking ahead and making sure we focused on the details tonight,” said EMCC sophomore wide receiver Raphael Leonard, a former standout at Starkville High School. “Holmes has a great team, so we knew we would have to score some points. Once the offense got in a rhythm early, we proved to be hard to stop.”
Former Starkville High players made plenty of plays. While Leonard had two catches for 39 yards, fellow former Jacket Jacquez Horsley ran nine times for 53 yards. While neither of those found the end zone, another member of the Class of 2015 did, as Matt Fuller ran 11 times for a career-best 168 yards and a touchdown for Holmes C.C. (4-2, 2-2). Another 72-yard run ended with Fuller being brought down inside the 5-yard line. EMCC lineman Maleke Bell also had seven tackles.
“It was great seeing Matt out there doing his thing,” Leonard said. “We know what kind of running back he is. It was great sharing the field out there tonight like that.”
Holmes C.C. ran the triple option nearly perfectly and amassed ran for 437 yards on 70 carries.
With both teams scoring at a frantic pace, EMCC earned the first break of serve with the game tied at 28 late in the second quarter when Isaiah Wright ran the kickoff back 90 yards for a touchdown.
EMCC then delivered the big defensive play that had eluded it when Duke Upshaw intercepted a pass.
To start the second half, EMCC then forced the game’s first punt. The Lions then went 75 yards on four plays, as Johnson hit Calvin Keys from 28 yards out for one of Johnson’s five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing).
EMCC’s defense then made it three stops in a row when Jordan Barrett recovered a fumble. This time, EMCC went 52 yards on six plays. Johnson scored on a 10-yard run for a three-score lead.
“We just knew we had to keep applying the pressure and eventually they would break,” Johnson said. “From an offensive standpoint, we have a high level of confidence. We feel like we can make plays and score on anybody. How much this offense has grown up this season is scary.”
Johnson was 18 of 29 for 216 yards. Keys led all receivers with 102 yards on five catches. The news wasn’t all good, though, as former Aliceville High standout native Mario Lanier left the game in the second quarter. Coaches fear he might be lost for the season.
“We just had to string together some stops and we finally did that,” EMCC coach Buddy Stephens said. “Not the best game we have ever played, but we will take it. Each week the goal is to be 1-0, and we were able to accomplish that.
“Holmes has a very feisty club. They have some playmakers. Now, we try to become 1-0 next week. That will be a big one.”
Instead of dwelling on Holmes racking up 622 yards, the vibes were positive. EMCC made plays when it had to have them. In the touchdown battle, EMCC won 9-7.
“Everybody is looking forward to the Northwest game,” Johnson said. “We know they are (the reigning National Junior College Athletic Association) champions. They come to our place and we get to see what we are all about.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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