EMCC Lions get back on winning track with convincing 62-14 homecoming win over Coahoma

SCOOBA – The Lions of East Mississippi Community College remained unbeaten in homecoming contests and in their series history against Coahoma during the Buddy Stephens coaching era with a much-needed 62-14 victory over the visiting Tigers during Saturday afternoon's MACCC North Division action played at Sullivan-Windham Field.

While also marking their first home win and initial division victory in three tries on the year, the Lions have now extended their unbeaten streaks in homecoming contests as well as in series meetings against Coahoma to 16 consecutive years under Stephens' guidance dating back to the 2008 season.

Following EMCC's three-and-out to open Saturday's action, Coahoma got on the scoreboard first on Immanuel Griffin's 53-yard touchdown scamper to put the visitors on top, 7-0, at the 12:30 mark of the first quarter.

The Lions answered on their next possession by completing a seven-play, 65-yard scoring drive with Ty Keyes' 18-yard touchdown strike to Jaylen Jennings. An unsuccessful PAT attempt kept Coahoma on top by a single point (7-6) with 9:53 left in the quarter.

After EMCC's defense forced a three-and-out, the Lions grabbed their first lead (12-7) of the game on Keyes' 8-yard scoring pass to Raymon Blackmon at the 6:38 mark. Coahoma's Rahmann Rinkin blocked the PAT try.

The reigning two-time MACCC champions then took advantage of a 50-yard field goal miss by Coahoma's Damian Gonzalez to embark on a 12-play, 67-yard drive that was capped by Jennings' 3-yard touchdown burst. Keyes' successful two-point conversion rush increased EMCC's lead to 20-7 with 24 seconds left in the opening quarter.

The second-quarter scoring began with the teams exchanging touchdowns within a 14-second span to keep the game's margin at 13 points. After Keyes' 27-yard touchdown toss to Lee Wade III and Hayden Houpt's resulting PAT conversion put the Lions up, 27-7, Coahoma's Deshaun Catron took the ensuing kickoff from EMCC's Jackson Bunyard 92 yards to the end zone to make it a 27-14 contest with 9:24 remaining in the first half.

Aided by a pair of Keyes-to-Blackmon chunk plays via the air, the Lions added two more touchdowns of contrasting scoring drive durations to close out the first-half scoring. The tandem's 45-yard connection to begin an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive that took nearly five minutes off the game clock was capped by Jennings' 4-yard touchdown run at the 4:26 mark.

Immediately following another empty Coahoma possession forced by EMCC's defense, Keyes and Blackmon then teamed up for a 61-yard scoring strike on the game's next snap from scrimmage. The nine-second play made it a 27-point margin (41-14) heading into intermission.

Following the halftime break, the Lions forced a turnover on a Coahoma fumble caused by Rosco Malloy and took advantage of the miscue with Keyes' 9-yard scoring pass to Michael Johnson Jr. at the 11:07 mark of the third quarter. Keyes' fifth touchdown pass of the game extended the lead to 48-14.

EMCC's special teams then earned the spotlight when Ahmari Cox blocked a Coahoma punt by Raymond Morales that Lions teammate Antreyvious Edwards collected around the 10-yard line and returned to just shy of the goal line. Gavin Griffin punched it in from a yard out on the next play to put EMCC ahead by 41 points (55-14) at the 8:17 mark of the third quarter.

Using a running clock for the final 23 minutes of play after reaching the MACCC's mandated 38-point, mercy-rule margin, the game's 48-point final margin followed DQ Levy's interception of an Ashton Strother pass for a touchback as the third quarter ended. With reserve quarterback Carter Hankins under center, the Lions marched 80 yards on 11 plays to cap the game's scoring on a 3-yard touchdown toss to Lorenzo Arnold with around eight minutes left on the game clock.

Statistically, the Lions outgained the Tigers, 546-181, in total offense yards and 32-11 on first downs in the contest. Individually for EMCC, Keyes was 22-of-28 through the air for 342 passing yards, five touchdowns and an interception. Blackmon had a career night with nine receptions for 155 yards and a pair of scores.

Following an open week, the EMCC Lions, 2-3 overall and 1-2 in division play, will return to action with consecutive road games against division foe Northeast Mississippi and MACCC South Division member Pearl River on Oct. 10 and 17, respectively.