By Staff
JUMP FOR JOY East Central quarterback Terrell Robinson (7) jumps for joy after scoring the Warriors' only touchdown of the game in the second quarter. Robinson is congratulated by freshman Cameron Tawater (83) and tight end Demetrius Little (84). Photo by Kyle Carter/The Meridian Star
By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Sept. 19, 2003
DECATUR Pearl River Community College has got a pretty good football team this fall, and the Wildcats wasted little time in showing that to East Central Community College Thursday night.
Pearl River (3-0) scored a pair of touchdowns in the first 13 minutes en route to a 35-6 MACJC South Division victory over ECCC (1-2).
The Wildcats defense set up the first score with an interception of a Terrell Robinson pass and a 20-yard return to the ECCC 29. After converting a fourth-and-3 at the 22, with a 13-yard pass from Anthony Johnson to Phoenix Thompson, the Wildcats got a nine-yard scoring toss from Johnson to Larry Brackins with 11:45 showing in the first quarter. Greg Bryant booted the first of his five extra points for a 7-0 lead.
On their second series, the Warriors gambled with a fake punt from their 42 only to have Clinton Thomas stuffed short of a first down.
Two sacks and an offensive pass interference penalty halted that opportunity, but Johnson found Brackins for a 14-yard touchdown pass after the Warriors went three-and-out on their next series. Bryant's kick made it 14-0 with 2:12 to go in the first period.
Of ECCC's five first-half possessions, three failed to pick up a single first down.
ECCC put together a 12-play, 58-yard scoring drive to close to within 14-6, with 10:17 remaining in the first half. Facing fourth-and-3 at the 15, Robinson kept around right end and beat the Wildcats to the corner of the end zone. Mitch Myers' extra point try was low and blocked at the line of scrimmage.
Pearl River went up 21-6 with 1:11 left in the first half on a 7-yard toss from Johnson to Larry Kendrick. Johnson, who passed for nearly 300 yards, also had a 34-yard toss to Brackins on the drive.
ECCC held the Wildcats to start the second half only to receive a 15-yard penalty for hitting the snapper while his head was down on a punt. Pearl River then covered the remaining 57 yards to go up 28-6. Johnson hit Kendrick on a short pattern and the speedy receiver outran the Warriors to complete a 53-yard scoring play with 12:25 left in the third quarter.
The Warriors threatened midway through the period only to lose a fumble at the Pearl River 19.
Levance Richmond halted ECCC's next drive when he picked off a Robinson pass at the 3.
The Wildcats got their last touchdown with 4:40 left in the game when defensive lineman Reginald Keys stripped ECCC's Elbert Brown of the ball and returned it 17 yards for a score.
ECCC had only 174 total yards with 120 coming on 39 rushes. Kenshay Hunter had 11 carries for 42 yards, and Germaine Smith had 42 yards on 13 rushes.