ELLISVILLE — Regardless of how long a running back has played, a 1,000-yard season is never taken for granted.
Deon McIntosh joined the club Saturday afternoon with a 112-yard performance in the No. 1 East Mississippi Community College football team’s 19-14 victory against No. 4 Jones College 19-14 in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) State championship game at Bobcat Stadium.
McIntosh is the third player in Buddy Stephens’ 11 seasons as head coach to rush for 1,000 yards. The Notre Dame transfer has 1,081 yards and a nation-best 17 rushing touchdowns.
On Saturday, he earned his sixth 100-yard game of the season.
“It’s just a blessing to be in this position helping a team win a championship,” McIntosh said. “It’s a challenge because we have guys from all over the nation. They have come to Scooba and formed quite a team. It’s just great to be in this spot and having this chance.”
McIntosh scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 71-yard run with 8 minutes, 27 seconds remaining.
Big-game Buddy
Stephens continues to own the MACJC State championship game.
Stephens is 7-0 in this setting. The latest victory came one year after a 67-66, double-overtime win at Northwest Mississippi C.C. in Senatobia.
The Lions won the state title on the road for a second-straight season. They beat the Bobcats in the title game for the first time since 2012.
“Credit goes to some great players and some great assistant coaches,” Stephens said. “This program has that championship pedigree. The guys come here to win championships. They have the it factor, and that is what separates them in the locker room.”
National title next
EMCC will try to keep its winning streak in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national championship games.
EMCC has won its four previous national title game appearances under Stephens.
This year’s national title game will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 29 in Pittsburg, Kansas. It will be televised by the CBS Sports Network for a first time.
The NJCAA will confirm all bowl pairings Tuesday after the final national rankings are released.
Garden City, Kansas is the nation’s No. 2 team and the projected opponent in the championship game.
This will be the first time in program history EMCC has been No. 1 in every ranking from the preseason to the end of the regular season.
Jones will go to the Mississippi Bowl, which will be Dec. 2 at Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. in Perkinston.
Notes
EMCC is the first team to win three-straight MACJC State titles since Pearl River C.C. won four straight from 2003-06 … Stephens is 20-2 against top-five teams and 14-3 in MACJC playoff games … Dontario Drummond has 21 career touchdown receptions to surpass Lacoltan Bester (19) for most under Stephens.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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