By Staff
RUNNING AWAY n East Mississippi's Kendrick Harris looks for running room against Copiah-Lincoln Thursday night in Scooba. The Lions dropped a 22-0 decision to the Wolves. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridan Star
By Jeff Byrd/The Meridian Star
Sept. 14, 2001
SCOOBA Copiah-Lincoln scored early and late and it was enough to blank a punch-less offense from East Mississippi Community College here on Thursday night at Sullivan-Windham Field.
The Co-Lin Wolves move to 2-0 on the season following the 22-0 throttling of East. Coach Tom Goode's Lions fall to 1-1.
While the East offense failed to dent the scoreboard, Goode placed the blame on both sides of the ball.
The best sustained drive of the night game came on the opening possession by the Wolves. Led by quarterback Willie Johnson, the Wolves marched 79 yards in 10 plays. Johnson capped the drive on a three-yard draw play. The biggest play on the march came off a 28-yard run by power-back Aaron Yarbrough.
The kick by Jimbo Thornton drifted wide, leaving the score at 6-0 with 10:13 left in the first quarter.
East Mississippi would respond with its best drive of the night following the kickoff. The Lions reached the Co-Lin 19 following pass completions from Terion Reynolds of 13, 7 and 17 yards. All three passes went for first downs.
But on a third-and-nine from the 19, Reynolds mis-fired and the Lions had to settle for a 36-yard field goal. The kick by Nick Dimino was no good keeping the Wolves ahead 6-0.
Early in the second quarter, Co-Lin punter Jeff Hobbs nailed the Lions back on their own two following a 51-yard punt. Three plays later, Reynolds was sacked for a safety by Kinton Emile and Daniel Gawronksi.
The safety made it 8-0, Co-Lin, with 11 minutes left in the half.
The lone remaining highlight for East in the first half was a 42-yard run by David Yates. The play took the ball from the Lion six to the Co-Lin 42. The drive stalled at that point and the Lions punted.
The two teams then traded turnovers in the final minute of the half with neither team able to capitalize.
Things didn't get much better for the East offense in the second half. On a fourth-and-inches from their own 44, Goode decided to go for it. The play call was a pitch to Yates who was then promptly dropped for a yard-plus loss.
Co-Lin took over at the Lion 43 but three plays resulted in a loss of four yards and they punted.
The Wolves eventually took advantage of the field position battle after taking over at mid-field early in the fourth quarter. A wing reverse by Tracy Barlow picked up 23 yards to the Lion 23. Four plays later, Johnson threw a swing pass to Josh Chapman. Chapman took the past right past the Lion defenders for a 27-yard touchdown.
Thornton's kick made it 15-0 with 11:44 to play.
The game's final score came with 4:06 left when the Wolves blocked a Lion punt. Gawronski scooped up the ball for the touchdown. Thornton's kick made it 22-0.
Co-Lin finished with 270 yards in total offense. Johnson was 8-of-18 for 72 yards. Yarbrough picked up 78 yards on nine carries while Darius Bingham had 65 off 13 carries.
East had 201 yards in total offense including 123 rushing. Yates led the way with 90 yards off 16 carries.
Reynolds had an overall bad game with the exception of the first drive. He finished nine of 28 for 78 yards. East also had a half-back pass intercepted to give them three turnovers on the night.
The Lions return to action next Saturday against Coahoma.