East Mississippi topples No. 10 Copiah-Lincoln 54-15 on the road to earn fourth state/region football title in six years

WESSON – Reigning champions of the NJCAA, Region 23 and MACJC, the second-ranked Lions of East Mississippi Community College successfully defended their state and region titles with a convincing 54-15 road victory over No. 10 Copiah-Lincoln Community College during Saturday's championship contest of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges played at Stone Stadium.

Now with four state/region football championships over the last six seasons, including three during their current four-year run, head coach Buddy Stephens' 11-0 EMCC Lions will now await the release of Monday's new NJCAA Top 20 poll to determine their postseason fate.  As of last week's poll, East Mississippi, NJCAA champions in 2011 and again last year, stood six voting points (199) behind top-ranked Iowa Western Community College (205) and 12.5 points ahead of third-ranked Trinity Valley (TX) CC (186.5).

The NJCAA National Championship Game will bring together the country's top two ranked teams playing at the tie-in bowl game site of the nation's No. 1 team, as revealed in the upcoming NJCAA football poll.  Iowa Western's tie-in bowl game site is at the University of Northern Iowa's UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  The Graphic Edge Bowl, slated for Sunday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m., features the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference champion versus an at-large team.  EMCC's tie-in bowl game site is at Biloxi Indian Stadium, where the Lions claimed last year's national championship with a 52-32 victory over Georgia Military College.  The Mississippi Bowl, pitting the MACJC champion against an at-large team, is also scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 7 with a 2 p.m. kickoff.

Aiming for their third appearance in the NJCAA National Championship Game in four years, the EMCC Lions once again relied on their vaunted defensive play to help create early scoring opportunities for the team's efficient offense.  After Co-Lin's initial three-and-out possession was halted by Lorenzo Phillips' sack of quarterback Daniel Fitzwater, the visitors responded with a 64-yard scoring drive that culminated with EMCC signal caller Chad Kelly hitting a wide-open Todd Mays in the right front corner of the end zone for a 17-yard scoring strike at the 9:31 mark.  

Following an ensuing kickoff that gave the Wolfpack the ball at midfield, EMCC's Demetrius Cain picked off Fitzwater on the first play from scrimmage for the linebacker's fifth interception of the season and eighth of his collegiate career.  Aided by a pass interference call on the home team, the Lions capitalized with a 53-yard drive that saw Mays burst into the end zone from a yard out to up the score to 14-0 with 6:44 remaining in the opening quarter.

Another significant Co-Lin kickoff return again placed the ball near midfield, but EMCC sophomore safety Allen Sentimore thwarted a potential drive with his first of two picks on the afternoon.  Seven plays and 58 yards later, Kelly found freshman receiver Desmond Goss in the left corner of the end zone from 30 yards out to increase the Lions' lead to 21-0 at the 2:33 mark of the first quarter.

After the two teams exchanged three-and-out possessions to close out the period, East Mississippi's stellar stopper unit continued to disrupt Co-Lin's offensive game plan.  Though Sentimore's team-leading sixth interception of the year – the 15^th career pick for last year's NJCAA interception leader – did not directly result in any points, the Lions would produce yet another defensive score on the Wolfpack's next possession.  Along with earlier securing his 13^th sack of the year, Phillips picked up a Fitzwater fumble and rumbled 31 yards into the end zone for his second scoop and score of the season.  Making the score 27-0 midway through the second quarter, the fumble recovery marked EMCC's 11^th defensive touchdown on the campaign, including seven pick-six pass interceptions, three fumble recoveries for scores and a blocked punt recovered in the end zone.

As the recipient of excellent field position at the 35-yard line following an EMCC penalty for interfering with a Co-Lin returner on the ensuing short kickoff, Copiah-Lincoln was able to reach the red zone for the first time on the day.  However, the Wolfpack had to resort on a 40-yard field goal by Greg Nickles after Fitzwater was sacked on a third-and-2 play by Ronald Ollie.

The Lions then worked the two-minute drill to perfection heading into intermission.  Sparked by a drive-opening, 57-yard pass completion to Isaac Johnson and aided by a pass interference penalty on Co-Lin, EMCC increased the margin to 33-3 heading into halftime on Preston Baker's 1-yard sprint to the right pylon.

The home-standing Wolfpack found the end zone for the first time when Fitzwater connected with receiver Courtney Foy on a 12-yard touchdown pass at the 6:30 mark of the third quarter.  However, Nickles' point-after-touchdown kick attempt was blocked to keep the score at 33-9. 

EMCC responded with another significant special teams play when Allenzae Staggers returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards to the 35-yard line.  A minute later in closing out the third-quarter scoring, Kelly hooked up with receiver Isaac Johnson for a 17-yard touchdown toss at the 5:07 mark to extend the lead to 40-9.

Three more touchdowns in the final period resulted in the 54-15 final outcome, giving East Mississippi its first state title earned on the road after claiming three prior MACJC crowns all at home during previous odd-numbered years (2009, 2011 & 2013).  With EMCC freshman quarterback Wyatt Roberts at the controls, the Louisville High School product connected with Johnson at the 13:04 mark for a 15-yard touchdown toss and then teamed with Camion Patrick on an acrobatic 47-yard scoring play with 5:31 remaining.  In between the Lions' pair of fourth-quarter scores, Co-Lin managed a 2-yard scoring run by Lakedric Lee midway through the period.

Statistically, Kelly, EMCC's transfer quarterback from Clemson by way of Buffalo, N.Y., was 28-of-38 passing for 332 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.  Johnson, a Meridian High School product, was his top target on the afternoon with six receptions for 125 yards and a pair of scores.

On the ground for the Lions, Baker, from Starkville, led the way with 54 rushing yards on 11 attempts, including his team-leading 10^th rushing touchdown of the season.