By By Jeff Byrd/The Meridian Star
Oct. 26, 2001
SCOOBA Long road trips have been good to East Mississippi Community College this season. Twice the Lions have traveled more than four hours away from home to play football this season. Twice they have won.
They are the only two wins the Lions have. Windham-Sullivan Field has been anything but a friendly place for coach Tom Goode's team this season. The Lions are 0-4 at home, including last week's disappointing 17-3 loss to Holmes Community College on homecoming day.
EMCC, 2-5 overall and 1-3 in the North Division, will hit the road again on Saturday when the Lions make the four-hour plus trek to Senatobia to play the Northwest Community College Rangers at 1:30 p.m. Northwest enters with a 5-2 mark and is 2-2 in division action.
Last week, Northwest was toppled by division leader Mississippi Delta 34-10 in Moorhead. The Lions will host Mississippi Delta in their final game of the season on Nov. 4.
Goode says the team's spirits remain upbeat despite last week's loss to a 2-5 Holmes club.
The problem was on offense, specifically, devastating penalties.
Northwest will bring one of the league's top offenses to the contest. The Rangers are second in total offense at 400.6 yards per game. They are also second in passing offense at 237.6 yards per game.
NWCC Tailback Sherron Moore had a 242-yard game this season in a 41-29 win over Hinds. He has rushed for 936 yards on 158 carries to rank second in the MACJC rankings.
Defensive end Colby Simmons leads the defense.
East will counter with quarterback Scotty Elliot and running back David Yeates. Elliot is 50-of-85 for 602 yards and three touchdowns.
Yeates has rushed for 440 yards off 101 carries. Michael Johnson is the top receiver with 24 catches for 307 yards and three touchdowns.
Freshman linebacker Joe Hollis ranks fourth in the league in tackles with 62, including 48 solo stops. Safety Ryan Waldrop of Columbus is seventh in the state with 55 tackles, including 43 solos. Joe White has 51 stops.
Jeff Byrd is a sports writer for the Meridian Star. He can be reached at 693-1551 or by e-mail at j.byrd@themeridianstar.com.