By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Oct. 17, 2003
After battling nationally-ranked Jones Junior College tooth-and-nail before losing 17-7 Saturday at Ellisville, the East Central Community College Warriors now face the unenviable task of taking on MACJC South Division leader Hinds Community College this Saturday at Raymond and North Division leader Northwest Mississippi Community College next week in Decatur.
ECCC fell to 1-3 in the division and 2-4 overall with the loss to Jones, which moved up to No. 3 in this week's NJCAA poll. Hinds improved to 4-0 and 5-1 with its 20-0 victory at Copiah-Lincoln.
Hinds won at Co-Lin last week despite quarterback Terrance Matthews playing sparingly due to an ankle injury. Keats Baldwin filled in, completing 15-of-26 passes for 176 yards. Terrance Jones had five receptions for 62 yards. Marquise Miller scored two touchdowns, including a 58-yard burst.
Hinds is sixth in the state in total offense with 300.2 yards per game. ECCC ranks fourth at 317.2. Hinds is third in passing, completing 98-of-199 attempts for 1,139 yards. The Eagles are eighth in total defense, allowing 250.2 yards. ECCC is 10th, giving up 321.7.
Greg Clark leads Hinds in rushing with a 72.2 yard average. ECCC's Germaine Smith (63.2) and Kenshay Hunter (47.2) are in the state's top 12 rushers.
Mathews has completed 82-of-171 passes for the Eagles with six interceptions, four touchdowns, and 937 yards.
ECCC's Terrell Robinson is 52-of-107 for 674 yards and one touchdown with seven interceptions.
Hinds' top receiver is Oge Oge with 24 catches for 288 yards. Titus Ryan leads ECCC with 22 receptions for 276 yards.
Carter Mascagni has made 10-of-11 extra points and 9-of-13 field goals for Hinds. ECCC's Mitch Myers is 14-of-16 in extra points, but only 1-of-5 in field goals.
Defensively, ECCC's Sed Eichelberger is tied for the state lead in solo tackles with 56. He has 70 total tackles. Kelvin Horne has 58 total tackles.
Tim Brown of Hinds has 58 total tackles, while teammate D'eldrick Taylor has 39.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.