By By Jeff Byrd/The Meridian Star
Sept. 26, 2001
The Northeast Community College Tigers will come to Scooba on Thursday on a roll. The Tigers, led by former Wayne County Head Coach Bobby Hall, shocked the national junior college ranks last week when they upset third ranked Northwest 28-27 in Booneville.
The result has sent tremors through the Mississippi JuCo League. Thursday night's game at East Mississippi will be for first place in the North Division.
They will be as high as a kite coming in here," said East Mississippi Head Coach Tom Goode. "That win over Northwest was their biggest in a long time."
Not since 1979 had Northeast beaten Northwest. Last year, Northwest went 10-0 and won the North Division but were later ruled ineligible for the playoffs for starting practice too early. They saw a 22-game winning streak come to an end against the Tigers.
Goode said it was a potent running game that allowed Northeast to pull off the surprise.
Northeast, 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the North Division, ran for 213 yards against the Rangers. They were led by halfback Bryant Tynes who rushed for 112 yards on 15 carries. Tynes helped lead Booneville High School to a pair of 2A state titles.
East is coming off a less than spectacular 23-8 win at Coahoma last week in Clarksdale in its divisional opener. The win moves the Lions to 2-1 overall.
That's where the Lions made a change bringing in Scotty Elliot, the opening day starter, back at quarterback. Elliot had hurt his knee against Southwest and had sat out the Co-Lin game and three quarters of the Coahoma contest.
Elliot, a West Lauderdale product, will draw the game opening start on Thursday against Northeast.
Another line-up change also seemed to work for the Lions. Meridian's Eddie Moss was moved to fullback and he now shares the role with Meridian's Jerrad Williams.
The Lion defense is led by linebacker Kenneth Hollis and down lineman Jeremy Foster and Joe Knox (6-3, 330). Fines Tate of Meridian starts at corner back.
Jeff Byrd is a sports writer for the Meridian Star. He can be reached at 693-1551 or by e-mail at j.byrd@atthemeridianstar.com.