Reigning MACCC champion EMCC Lions advance to title game with 33-21 win over No. 6 Gulf Coast

SCOOBA – The reigning conference champion and eighth-ranked East Mississippi Community College Lions advanced to the 2023 MACCC Football Championship Game by claiming a 33-21 home victory over No. 6 Mississippi Gulf Coast during Saturday afternoon's semifinals played at EMCC's Sullivan-Windham Field.

In addition to avenging their 42-17 regular-season home setback to MGCCC, the 8-2 Lions won their sixth consecutive game since that loss to the Bulldogs back on Sept. 28. Coach Buddy Stephens' eight-time MACCC champions will now meet fourth-ranked and MACCC South Division top seed Copiah-Lincoln for this year's conference championship on Saturday, Nov. 18, on the Scooba campus. The Co-Lin Wolves, who handed the Lions their only other setback, 23-20, in the season opener (Sept. 7) played in Wesson, advanced to Saturday's upcoming title game against EMCC with a 48-14 home win over 10^th-ranked Northwest Mississippi.

Upon winning the pregame coin toss, the home-standing Lions elected to receive the opening kickoff and proceeded to march 75 yards in nine plays to jump ahead, 6-0, on Ty Crowell's 1-yard keeper into the end zone at the 10:48 mark.

Following a three-and-out by Gulf Coast, the Lions efficiently drove 71 yards on 11 plays to make it a 13-0 contest on Kiron Benjamin's 4-yard scoring run and Cole Arthur's successful PAT with 3:08 left in the opening quarter.

East Mississippi's defense came up big on the Bulldogs' next offensive possession when Alvin Williams sacked Gulf Coast quarterback Eli Anderson on a fourth-and-9 play from EMCC's 36-yard line. The Lions cashed in the turnover on downs with Arthur's 39-yard field goal to extend their lead to 16-0 at the 9:13 mark of the second quarter.

EMCC's stopper unit continued to stand out for the remaining nine minutes of the first half to keep the visitors off the scoreboard for the opening 30 minutes of play. Brylan Lanier's pass interception of an Anderson aerial was turned into a 10-play, 47-yard EMCC scoring drive that was capped by Crowell's 2-yard keeper with 2:30 remaining in the opening half.

With Tyrese Hopkins' forced fumble that was recovered by Marcus Ross and a Tyler Woodard interception, the Lions had two more takeaways during the final two minutes of the half to head to intermission with a 23-0 advantage.

Just as EMCC did to open the game, Gulf Coast took the second-half kickoff and drove 68 yards on 13 plays to get on the board with Anderson's 10-yard touchdown toss to Jackson Kostmayer at the 9:09 mark.

The Bulldogs attempted to maintain some momentum after EMCC's next drive was halted at the Gulf Coast goal line when Ty Keyes' pass was intercepted by Dramarian McNulty. The Lions once again stood their ground defensively by forcing a three-and-out following an initial facemask penalty.

After the teams traded punts to close out a fast-moving third quarter with EMCC on top, 23-7, the Lions and Bulldogs both scored twice during the 24-point fourth quarter. Following another Gulf Coast three-and-out, Benjamin's 11-yard touchdown run capped a seven-play, 43-yard scoring drive that increased the margin to 30-7 with nine minutes left in the game.

The visitors answered by driving 76 yards on seven plays to cut the deficit to 30-14 on Jalen Davis' 2-yard scoring burst at the 6:19 mark. The Lions then responded by recovering the ensuing onside kick attempt by Gulf Coast and tacking on a 37-yard field goal by Arthur at the 3:08 mark.

The Bulldogs used the final three minutes of the contest to account for the final margin on Anderson's 7-yard scoring pass to Ramone Bradley.

Statistically for the winners, EMCC's Benjamin rushed for a career-high 132 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, while Jaylen Jennings added 75 yards on 19 attempts.

Keyes, a three-time MACCC Offensive Player of the Week this season for the Lions, was 16-of-24 through the air for 169 passing yards. Raymon Blackmon was EMCC's leading receiver on the night with five catches for 80 yards.

As a team, EMCC outgained the NJCAA's leading rushing team, 201-119, while the Lions' defense held the Bulldogs to 129 rushing yards below their 248.6 yards-per-game average coming into the contest.