EMCC’s Everitt Cunningham earns second MACJC Defensive Player of the Week honor
East Mississippi Community College’s Everitt Cunningham has earned his second MACJC Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season for his efforts during the top-ranked Lions’ 31-7 state playoff home victory over nationally ranked Copiah-Lincoln this past Saturday at EMCC’s Sullivan-Windham Field.
SCOOBA – East Mississippi Community College's Everitt Cunningham has earned his second MACJC Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season for his efforts during the top-ranked Lions' 31-7 state playoff home victory over nationally ranked Copiah-Lincoln this past Saturday at EMCC's Sullivan-Windham Field.
The sophomore defensive end recorded a season-high four quarterback sacks on three solos and two assisted sacks for a loss of 28 total yards, along with forcing a fumble and breaking up a pass, against Co-Lin. Cunningham was credited with eight total tackles on six solo stops and two assists on the day, while headlining EMCC's vaunted defensive front that helped the Lions limit the Wolves to just 34 rushing yards and only 10 pass completions in 28 attempts (36%) as a team.
A product of West Point High School, Cunningham is currently ranked third nationally with 13 quarterback sacks on the season. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Cunningham rates as the only two-time MACJC Defensive Player of the Week this season, having previously earned the honor during Week 6 following EMCC's 34-6 road win over previously second-ranked Northwest Mississippi.
As a team, East Mississippi is tied for the league lead with five MACJC Player of the Week selections this season. Along with Cunningham's pair of defensive honors, EMCC sophomore quarterbacks Messiah deWeaver and Vijay Miller exchanged league offensive accolades during the first two weeks of the season, while sophomore safety Josh Miller collected NJCAA and MACJC Special Teams Player of the Week honors during Week 5. In addition, the Lions are also ranked atop the NJCAA's team statistical leaders in scoring defense allowing the opposition an average of only 11.1 points per game on the year.
Coach Buddy Stephens' reigning national and state champion EMCC Lions (10-0) will bid for their third consecutive MACJC football championship and seventh state title in 10 years when they travel to Ellisville to take on the No. 4 Jones College Bobcats (9-1) Saturday afternoon for the 2018 MACJC State/NJCAA Region 23 Championship. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium/Sim Cooley Field on the JC campus.