Defense leads the way in MGCCC win, PRCC falls to No. 1 EMCC
Mississippi Gulf Coast slogged its way to a 46-21 victory over Coahoma on Thursday night to run its record to 2-0 under first-year coach Jack Wright.
Bulldogs linebacker Jacobi Hearn returned a fumble for a touchdown in a driving rainstorm and the defense recorded a sack for a safety. The Gulf Coast special teams got another safety when a snap went over the punters head, and they blocked another punt to set up a short field.
“At some point in the year, you’re going to not play well and you’re going to have win anyway,” Wright said. “Tonight was one of those moments for us, especially offensively. We did some things on special teams to create a possession or two, and the defense played really well. The offense kind of had to lean on that. Hopefully in the future, the offense will return the favor.”
Gulf Coast drove its first possession down the field for a 7-0 lead in the first two minutes of play, capped by the first of three touchdowns for Terrion Avery He scored from 1 yard, 7 yards and 38 yards on his way to a team-high 89 rushing yards on 15 carries.
“I think we played good, but we could have been a little better,” he said. “Overall, it was a good win.”
Coahoma (0-2) took advantage of a muffed punt by the Bulldogs, scoring on a short drive to tie it at 7.
Avery scored to make it 14-7, and Omni Wells scored from 4 yards in the second quarter. Coupled with the two safeties, Gulf Coast led 25-7 at half.
Coahoma had a nine-play, 80-yard drive in the third quarter before Lowell Narcisse helped start an 85-yard drive with a 29-yard scramble. He completed a 14-yard pass to Nick Brown and Avery finished it off with his longest run of the night.
Hearn interrupted the next Tigers drive with his 48-yard scoop and score.
“I read the line and saw the quarterback and running back had a little mix up,” he said. “They dropped it there, and I said, ‘It looks like six.’”
Austin Bolton closed out the Gulf Coast scoring with a 39-yard scamper ahead of a late Coahoma score.
East Mississippi 59, PRCC 10
Pearl River Community College scored first Thursday night but couldn’t maintain the early momentum against the nation’s No. 1 team, ultimately falling to East Mississippi at Dobie Holden Stadium 59-10.
The Wildcat defense came up big out of the gate, forcing the Lions (2-0) to punt after a three-and-out.
PRCC (0-2) proceeded to march 81 yards down the field in 14 plays, scoring on a bruising 4-yard run up the middle by Ron Thompson. Cooper Callis connected with Hayden Brice on the ensuing two-point conversion to put the home team ahead 8-0.
PRCC’s defense followed up the score by forcing another punt, but the Lions broke through on their third possession courtesy of a 1-yard run from Keon Moore in the final minute of the first quarter.
The Lions rotated quarterbacks Thursday, splitting snaps between starter Messiah deWeaver and ViJay Miller. The latter completed 17 of 29 passes for 231 yards and touchdown throws of 42 and 24 yards to Dontario Drummond. He also rushed for a 3-yard touchdown.
Running back Deon McIntosh also factored into EMCC’s scoring with touchdown runs of 12 and 32 yards. JaQuez Akins and Moore rounded out EMCC’s scoring in the fourth quarter with a pick-six and a 6-yard run.
PRCC’s defense factored into the scoring Thursday. Late in the third quarter a snap sailed over the head of the EMCC punter and Damian Gray (Clarksdale) tackled the Lion in the end zone for a safety.
Callis completed 15 of 34 passes for 131 yards with three interceptions.
This story was originally published September 7, 2018 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Defense leads the way in MGCCC win, PRCC falls to No. 1 EMCC."