Coahoma Gives EMCC a Night to Remember

5/16/13

CLARKSDALE –Riding high over last week’s impressive 34-24 win over Pearl River, the Coahoma Community College Tigers gave the nation’s Number One community college football team a night to remember before mistakes chipped away their chances for a second major upset.

Although the East Mississippi Lions won 48-17, Tiger players, their families, coaches, students, and fans lingered long afterward inside James Miller Stadium praising the hometown athletes and the excellence of their competitiveness.

“I am so proud of our team; we had an opportunity to beat East Mississippi, and let it slip away through mistakes and penalties,” said Coahoma’s beaming Coach Freeman Horton.

“However, we can win the next four games of our season,” he said.

Included are two home games: Northeast next week, Oct. 4, and Homecoming with Mississippi Delta, Oct. 20; and two away games, Itawamba, Oct. 11, and Holmes, Oct. 25.

Coahoma scored fast and first with a field goal by kicker Joanathan O’Hara with nine minutes remaining in a high scoring first quarter.

Runs by EMCC’s Xavier Hogan and Lakenderic Thomas, and a pass from quarterback Quez Johnson to Nick Brassell set up another completion to Corey Smith for a 7-3 go-ahead touchdown.

A second TD pass to Smith escalated the Lion lead to 14-3 before CCC running back Daveonn Porter advanced the ball and Tiger quarterback Roderick McKee connected with Jordan Taylor for a touchdown ending the first quarter 14-10.

In the second quarter, Coahoma was forced to punt, but the Lions touched the ball on the 50-yard line and CCC took over on offense. Penalties preceded an interception by Lion defensive back Justin Cox who took the ball to the 45.

Although Coahoma’s defense stopped EMCC three consecutive times, the Lions gambled on fourth down and scored with 8 minutes remaining to increase their lead 21-10.

After Tiger quarterback McKee was sacked and unable to move the ball, kicker O’Hara was knocked down while punting, and CCC returned on offense. Runs by Porter and a completed pass to Taylor for a touchdown moved Coahoma within four points of EMCC: 21-17.

The Lions bounced back immediately to score on a pass play (28-17) with 1:20 remaining in the first half.

Opening the second half, penalties and a quarterback sack plagued the Tigers while Lion running back Rodiguez Moore ran into the end zone for a 35-17 leap ahead.

With five minutes left in the third quarter, two back-to-back Tiger touchdowns were nullified including a length-of- the- field run by Porter into the end zone (nullified because of an illegal block by Tyshun Alston); and an equally-long race by Keenan Daniels who fumbled on the two-yard line.

Losing offensive momentum, Coahoma failed to score again. But EMCC advanced 42-17 closing the third quarter, and a final touchdown 48-17 (with no PAT) with 5:32 left in the game.