EMCC Lions close out home football slate with decisive 49-0 shutout over Mississippi Delta

SCOOBA – The Lions of East Mississippi Community College posted a pair of 21-point quarters in their home season football finale to cruise to a decisive 49-0 victory over Mississippi Delta during Thursday's MACCC North Division action played at Sullivan-Windham Field.

Scoring three touchdowns during each of the first two quarters of play, the home-standing Lions reached the MACCC's mandated 38-point, mercy-rule margin by the end of the opening half. They then completed the whitewash with a late-game interception to secure the program's 26^th shutout of the Buddy Stephens coaching era and reach the .500 mark overall on the year.

Despite Thursday's victory over Delta, the Lions, now 4-4 overall and 3-2 in division play for the season, find themselves on the outside looking in when the MACCC football playoffs begin in two weeks. The two-time reigning MACCC champions have participated in 14 conference playoffs with an 18-5 composite record and nine championships during Stephens' 17 seasons at the EMCC helm. This year will mark only the third time that the Stephens-led Lions will not participate in postseason gridiron action. Previously, East Mississippi opted out of the 2020 football season due to health concerns caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The 2015 EMCC squad was ruled ineligible to participate in the conference playoffs following an on-field altercation that occurred late in the first half of the team's 48-0 win at Mississippi Delta in the regular-season finale and ultimately resulted in a two-game suspension for the entire team.

Thursday's EMCC-Delta matchup saw the Lions jump out to a quick 14-0 start by scoring touchdowns on their first two offensive possessions with a 6-yard touchdown run by Jaylen Jennings and an 8-yard scoring pass from Ty Keyes to Gavin Griffin at the 13:24 and 10:34 marks, respectively.

After the Lions held the visitors to three-and-outs on the Trojans' first two offensive possessions of the game, an apparent third straight EMCC touchdown was nullified due to a penalty. On the next play, Keyes fumbled and Delta recovered near midfield. The Trojans' initial scoring opportunity of the opening half was denied when EMCC's Zavion Hardy blocked Ceidrick Hunt's 30-yard field goal attempt.

The Lions took advantage of the special teams highlight by marching 69 yards on 11 plays to extend their lead to 21-0 on Jennings' 3-yard scoring burst with 1:34 left in the first quarter.

EMCC's opening possession of the second quarter set the stage for another 21-point quarter for the Lions, as Keyes connected with a wide-open Ahmari Cox on a 28-yard touchdown toss at the 11:23 mark. The Lions' special teams unit paid dividends again on Delta's next possession when Cox blocked Hunt's punt and Brandon Short scored on the resulting 30-yard fumble return to lengthen the margin to 35-0 with 9:06 remaining in the first half.

After the Lions kept the visitors out of the end zone with a first-and-goal defensive stand from their own 9-yard line that halted Delta's nine-play, 55-yard drive at the 4-yard line, Jenkins capped EMCC's ensuing 15-play, 96-yard scoring drive with his third rushing touchdown of the half. The 2-yard score made it a 42-0 contest heading into intermission.

The game's halftime statistics displayed EMCC's dominance during the opening half of play. The Lions held a commanding 384-140 advantage in total offense yards and a 25-7 upper hand in first downs at the break. Individually for EMCC, Keyes was 14-of-25 passing for 244 yards and two touchdowns before getting the opportunity to rest during a quick-moving second half.

Utilizing a running clock coming out of halftime, the game's only scoring during the second half came on a 2-yard run by Lee Wade III with just under 11 minutes left in the contest.

From that point, the Lions' main objective was to keep their first shutout of the season intact. That goal was jeopardized late in the game when Cole McCarty's pass was intercepted by Delta's Jaquian Payton deep in EMCC territory and returned to the 7-yard line. The shutout was preserved on the next play when EMCC's Ajaveon Hatten picked off Troy Griffin's pass at the 1-yard line.

The Lions finished with 516 yards of total offense in the contest evenly divided between 260 yards on the ground and 256 yards through the air. They featured six different players with 31 rushing yards or more, led by John Peterson with a game-high 58 yards on just five attempts in reserve action. Jennings finished with 50 rushing yards and three touchdowns on nine carries.

The EMCC Lions will conclude their 2024 football season by traveling to Goodman to take on the previously unbeaten and sixth-ranked Holmes Bulldogs (7-1, 4-1 in MACCC North) on Thursday (Oct. 31) afternoon. Kickoff for Holmes' 2024 Homecoming on Halloween is set for 3 p.m. at Ras Branch Stadium.