By By Marty Stamper / staff writer
October 1, 2004
DECATUR Rarely have the East Central Community College Warriors dominated any team the way they did the East Mississippi Community College Lions Thursday night in their 44-7 non-division victory.
In bouncing back strong from last week's 60-14 beating at Pearl River, the Warriors racked up 511 total yards on offense with 316 coming on 58 rushes. Terrance McFadden had 149 yards on 25 carries, while Darryl Mapp added 54 yards on 11 rushes.
ECCC freshman quarterback Robbie Morse was 13-of-27 passing for 195 yards. Derrick Harris had five catches for 86 yards.
Not only did the Warriors dominate on offense, they held the Lions to just 67 total yards. Not bad by any standards, but even more impressive considering EMCC had a 77-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. The Lions' remaining 44 plays lost a total of 10 yards.
"I thought our defense played outstanding other than the big play," ECCC head coach Terry Underwood said. "We've got a great defense. That's our backbone. Not taking anything away from our offense, but that's where it's got to start.
"I thought our offense had its best game of the year. We're getting better and Robbie is getting more settled in our offense. Our offensive line played its best game of the year. They blocked well and we ran the ball real well.
"Derrick Harris had a great game catching the ball.
"Jay McMillin has stepped in and done a heck-of-a job kicking.
"Really, it was a total team effort and a great win."
It was the most lopsided game in the series since a 39-0 Warrior win in 1955.
McFadden scored on a 1-yard run on ECCC's first possession. The drive was kept alive by a 29-yard run to the Lions' 9 by Ken Gordon on a fake punt. Jay McMillin added the extra point.
The Lions responded on their next offensive play with their lone highlight of the evening. Chas Brown found Julius Randle behind the ECCC secondary for a 77-yard score. Shawn Millson's PAT tied the game at 7-7 with 8:35 left in the opening quarter.
"I think we took a step backward," EMCC head coach Roger Carr said. "We just didn't play a very good football game. We came out and made one good play.
"Offensively, it's been a struggle. We haven't been able to make a consistent drive in several weeks. And they just ran the ball right down our throats.
"We've just got lots of work to do."
As bad as it was for Carr's crew, the score would have been worse had the Warriors not missed two short field goals and had two extra points blocked.
A 33-yard punt by Anthony Stanford pinned the Lions at their 3 and set up ECCC's next points when Brown took a low snap on a knee in the end zone for a safety two plays later.
McMillin booted a 26-yard field goal with 14:12 left in the first half for a 12-7 ECCC lead.
The Warriors extended their lead to 19-7 when Morse hit Harris on a short pass and the sophomore speedster motored down the Warrior sideline for a 41-yard score with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter.
McMillin added a 32-yard field goal with 59 seconds left in the half after the Lions kept a Warrior drive alive by roughing the punter.
McMillin missed a 33-yard attempt just before halftime after the Warriors blocked a Jonathan Russell punt at the EMCC 16.
The Warriors continued to roll in the second half. Mapp scored on a 4-yard run with 9:08 to g in the third quarter following an interception by Marcus Arrington at the ECCC 46.
A high snap on a punt attempt resulted in a 30-yard loss by the Lions and gave the Warriors the ball at the EMCC 15 early in the fourth quarter. McMillin drilled a 32-yarder for a 32-7 lead with 12:16 to play.
A pair of 15-yard penalties on the Lions led to ECCC's next points which came on a 30-yard run by JiMichael Gordon with 5:04 remaining.
The Warriors' final score was a 21-yard fumble return by Ken Gordon with 4:07 showing. Lion backup quarterback Rod Stevens bootlegged left, but fumbled as he was hit and Gordon scooped the ball with a clear path to the end zone.
The Warriors led EMCC to minus-20 yards on 26 plays in the second half.