September 30, 2016
The East Central Community College football team held No. 18 Copiah-Lincoln Community College in check for three full quarters, before a fourth quarter surge by the Wolves resulted in a 34-23 win over the Warriors in Stone Stadium in Wesson Thursday, Sept. 29.
East Central led 23-7 in the fourth quarter before the Co-Lin Wolves scored the last 27 points of the game to pull out the win against the Warriors.
East Central was forced to punt its first possession of the ball game, but Aaron Garrett of Meridian High School pinned the Wolves back on their own eight-yard line.
The Warrior defense then forced a Co-Lin punt to allow ECCC to take over at the 47.
Quarterback Dom Marino of Venice (Fla.) High School then found tight end Kalen Meggs of Richton High School for a 37-yard touchdown pass to give the Warriors the early 7-0 lead with 9:24 left in the first quarter.
Co-Lin would score on a 17-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7 with 12:20 left in the first half.
East Central’s Dwayne Barnett of Harrison Central High School helped the Warriors regain the lead in the second quarter on a three-yard touchdown run.
After the Wolves missed on a 32-yard field goal attempt, East Central’s Garrett was good on a 36-yard field goal as the second quarter horn sounded, putting East Central up 17-7 at halftime.
Throughout the third quarter East Central and Co-Lin exchanged punts.
The, with 13:21 to play in the game, Marino did it through the air again this time finding freshman wide receiver Antonio Gibson of Eagles Landing (Ga.) High School for a 30-yard touchdown pass. The extra point try was no good and the Warriors led 23-7. After that it was all Co-Lin.
The Wolves scored on the first play after the Warrior kickoff on a reverse pass play that covered 54 yards to close the deficit to 23-14 with 13:09 left to play.
Co-Lin would then score two more times in a matter of minutes, on a punt return and an interception return, to grab the lead at 28-23. The Wolves’ final score of the game came on the final play when they intercepted a desperation pass and returned it for the score.
For East Central, Marino was 9 for 19 through the air for 133 yards with four interceptions. Barnett was the leader in rushing yards with 118 total yards for the Warriors on 35 carries and one touchdown. Marino added 78 yards on the ground. Meggs was tops in receiving with three catches for 62 yards and a touchdown. Freshman defensive back Xavier Williamson of Heidelberg High School was credited with six tackles, one for a loss.
With the loss, the Warriors fell to 2-3 on the season and 2-1 in the South Division.
ECCC is now tied with Co-Lin and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for the top spot in the South.
The East Central Community College football team will host Jones County Junior College Thursday, Oct. 6, at 6:30 p.m. in Bailey Stadium in Decatur.
(Left Photo) Warrior tight end Kalen Meggs scored East Central's first touchdown of the evening on a 37-yard pass from Dom Marino. (Right Photo) The East Central defense held Co-Lin in check for three quarters as defensive back Xavier Williamson (11) and linebacker Cedrick Snow make a tackle. (EC Photos)
