Eighth-ranked EMCC Lions drop season-opening 23-20 decision at Copiah-Lincoln

WESSON – The eighth-ranked and reigning MACCC champion Lions of East Mississippi Community College dropped just their fourth season-opening football contest of the 16-year Buddy Stephens EMCC coaching era by falling, 23-20, at Copiah-Lincoln during Thursday's inter-divisional gridiron action played at H.L. Stone Stadium on the Co-Lin campus.

The home-standing Wolves got on the scoreboard first with Brandon Gilliam's 25-yard field goal at the 6:43 mark. Following a three-and-out by EMCC on the game's next possession, Co-Lin increased the lead to 10-0 with an efficient four-play, 55-yard drive that was capped by DeVon Tott's 2-yard touchdown toss to Jamarquez Melton with three minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

The Lions responded with touchdowns on consecutive offensive series to begin the second quarter by grabbing a 14-10 lead. Following a sack by defensive lineman Alvin Williams and a muffed punt snap by Co-Lin, EMCC quarterback Ty Keyes took advantage of the miscue by connecting with wide receiver Marcus Harris on a 10-yard scoring pass at the 13:43 mark for EMCC's first points of the season.

Defense then keyed the Lions' go-ahead possession when Tyrane Stewart's second career pass interception halted a Co-Lin drive and led to Keyes' 42-yard scoring strike over the middle to Christian Wortham. The Grenada product's touchdown grab in the end zone gave EMCC its first lead of the season with 9:12 left in the half.

The rest of the opening half was filled with missed opportunities by both teams. After neither team could take advantage of extended drives caused by penalties, the visitors came up empty on a pair of field goal tries over the final 43 seconds of the half. Following a 28-yard miss by sophomore Cole Arthur, EMCC's defense immediately gave the Lions another scoring opportunity on the next play from scrimmage by forcing a fumble that was recovered by defensive back DJ Hill-Smith at Co-Lin's 31-yard line. However, the Lions' returning all-conference kicker out of Leake Academy again missed wide right from 32 yards out to keep the score at 14-10 heading into intermission.

Following halftime, both teams exchanged turnovers to begin the second half. The only scoring in the third quarter came during the final minute of play when Gilliam's successful 28-yard field goal cut EMCC's lead to 14-13 heading into the final 15 minutes of play.

The fourth quarter began with the Lions extending their lead to 20-13 after second-year quarterback Jaquez Harris, out of Starkville, made his EMCC playing debut by coming off the bench to connect with Ty Crowell for 39 yards. Four rushing plays later, sophomore running back Kiron Benjamin found the end zone from 6 yards out. However, Arthur's extra-point attempt was blocked to keep it a seven-point contest with 12:09 remaining in the game.

The Wolves maintained the slight shift in momentum by marching 78 yards to knot the score at 20-20 on Johnnie Daniels' 2-yard scoring burst and Gilliam's PAT at the 9:22 mark.     

The visitors couldn't sustain a drive on their next possession, while Co-Lin responded with an eventual game-winning drive that was capped by Gilliam's 29-yard field goal with two minutes remaining.

With Harris back under center for the Lions on their final possession of the contest, Co-Lin held EMCC to a four-and-out with three incomplete passes and a sack. The Wolves then proceeded to run out the final 1:33 on the game clock with a pair of victory snaps.

Statistically for the Lions, Keyes was 22-of-38 through the air for 253 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns in his EMCC debut. His top target in the opener was Memphis transfer and South Panola High School product Cam Wright with five receptions for 65 yards. Benjamin, out of Laurel, was EMCC's leading rusher on the night with 39 yards and a score on 10 carries.

All four of EMCC's season-opening setbacks dating back to the 2008 campaign have come on the road. The Lions were knocked off at Hinds during their 2019 opener as well as having fallen at Jones in 2016 and at Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2010. The Lions will now look to bounce back by finishing out the month of September with three consecutive home contests on the Scooba campus. After beginning with Thursday's (Sept. 14) home matchup versus sixth-ranked Jones College at Sullivan-Windham Field, EMCC will then conclude the month with home games against Holmes (Sept. 21) and Mississippi Gulf Coast (Sept. 28).