No. 1-ranked EMCC clinches fourth consecutive division title and earn fourth straight shutout with 49-0 win at Northwest

SENATOBIA – With their fourth straight shutout of the year, the top-ranked Lions of East Mississippi Community College clinched their fourth consecutive MACJC North Division football championship by blanking Northwest Mississippi, 49-0, on the road Thursday evening at Ranger Stadium/Bobby Franklin Field.    

By also claiming their sixth regular-season division title in seven years under head coach Buddy Stephens' guidance, the EMCC Lions have secured a No. 1 seed in the upcoming MACJC state playoffs and will play host to the No. 2 seed from the MACJC's South Division in semifinal-round action to be played on Saturday, Nov. 1 in Scooba.  Likewise, the top-seeded MACJC South Division team will host the second-seeded MACJC North squad, with the two winners meeting the following Saturday (Nov. 8) for the 2014 Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges state football championship.

Prior to beginning postseason play in a couple of weeks in search of their fourth state title in six years, the reigning national and state champions will carry a 20-game winning streak into their regular-season finale against Mississippi Delta this coming Thursday (Oct. 23) in Scooba.  Spanning back to their 2011 NJCAA national championship season, the EMCC Lions have now prevailed in 40 of their last 42 contests, including a 21-1 composite home record during that stretch while playing in their new football facility.

Having extended their current string to 18 consecutive scoreless quarters defensively, it was EMCC's stellar stopper unit that put the visitors on the scoreboard initially against the Rangers.  On Northwest's first play from scrimmage, sophomore linebacker William Lloyd stepped in front of Kyle Morgan's pass attempt and raced 25 yards to the end zone for the Lions' sixth pick-six pass interception of the season.

On the Rangers' next offensive possession, EMCC sophomore defensive lineman Zavia Forshee recovered Morgan's fumble deep in Northwest territory and rumbled 15 yards to the 5-yard line.  Three plays later and four minutes into the contest, sophomore running back Preston Baker punched it in from a yard out to make the score 12-0 after a second straight failed point-after-touchdown attempt.

Upon forcing a three-and-out, the Lions efficiently moved 69 yards on a seven-play drive that was capped by Chad Kelly's 10-yard touchdown pass to Camion Patrick.  An unsuccessful two-point conversion pass attempt kept the score at 18-0 with 7:15 remaining in the opening quarter.

The visitors benefitted from another three-and-out to close out the first-quarter scoring.  Kelly accounted for 34 yards on the ground and 31 more through the air on the Lions' subsequent 12-play scoring drive.  The Buffalo, N.Y., native found freshman receiver Allenzae Staggers for an 11-yard scoring pass to extend the lead to 25-0 at the 1:20 mark of the opening period.

A special teams play by the Lions would set up another scoring connection between Kelly and Staggers to begin the second quarter.  Sophomore cornerback Quan Latham, of Columbus, blocked Jim Speights' punt to give the visitors excellent field position at the 38-yard line.  Latham's second blocked punt of the year and third blocked kick of his EMCC career was cashed in when Kelly and Staggers hooked up again on a 5-yard touchdown toss at the 12:08 mark to lengthen the margin to 32-0.

The two teams then exchanged three-and-out possessions.  However, Drew White's punt was mishandled by NWCC's Marcel Newsom and recovered by Lloyd to give the Lions prime field position once again at the 39-yard line.  EMCC took advantage of the turnover opportunity with White knocking through a 33-yard field goal at the 7:13 mark to close out the first-half scoring.

But before the Lions would take their comfortable 35-0 halftime lead into the locker room, they made a clutch defensive stand to keep their shutout string and consecutive scoreless quarter streak alive.  The Rangers managed to drive 66 yards before a bad snap from center on a third-and-1 effort and subsequent incomplete pass on fourth down halted their best scoring chance of the night at the 5-yard line.

East Mississippi's vaunted defense also set the tone following the break by stepping up big to begin the second stanza.  After Northwest again reached the red zone, sophomore nose guard D.J. Jones sacked Morgan for a 4-yard loss back to the 24-yard line.  Two plays later, sophomore linebacker Demetrius Cain picked off his team-leading fourth interception of the year and seventh of his career around the 9-yard line and returned it 32 yards.  The Lions converted the turnover into seven more points as Kelly ran the ball into the left corner of the end zone from 4 yards out at the 8:51 mark to increase the margin to 42-0 and put the MACJC's 38-point mercy rule into effect.

With a running game clock being utilized throughout the fourth quarter, the Lions went over the 45-point mark for the 21^st consecutive game when DJ Law flipped over the top of the pile from a yard out with 9:42 remaining in the contest to account for the final outcome.      

Statistically, EMCC's Kelly was 24-of-45 passing on the night for 236 yards and three touchdowns thrown while sharing team rushing honors (with Law) with 60 yards on the ground and an additional score.  With 10 different receivers hauling in passes in the contest, Staggers, of Wilkinson County High School, led all Lion pass-catchers with six grabs for 51 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Now 8-0 overall and 5-0 in division play, East Mississippi's regular-season finale against Mississippi Delta is slated to kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 23) at Sullivan-Windham Field on the Scooba campus.