Fast start lifts EMCC Lions to 34-28 home win over No. 3 Northwest in MACCC North Division opener

SCOOBA – The Lions of East Mississippi Community College jumped out to a 24-0 first-half lead and outlasted visiting third-ranked Northwest Mississippi, 34-28, during Thursday's MACCC North Division opener played at EMCC's Sullivan-Windham Field.

As the Lions' composite record against opponents ranked in the top three nationally improved to 14-2 during the Buddy Stephens coaching era with the six-point win over NWCC, sophomore running back Gavin Griffin powered EMCC's offense by rushing for a career-high 189 yards and three touchdowns in 23 attempts. Griffin's effort on the ground marked the most rushing yards by an EMCC player in a single game since Lakenderic Thomas totaled 248 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 19 carries during the Lions' 52-32 win over top-ranked Georgia Military in the 2013 Mississippi Bowl in Biloxi to claim the national championship.

The Lions' offense against reigning MACCC champion Northwest clicked from the opening kickoff, as the Lions efficiently moved 70 yards in eight plays to jump out to a quick 7-0 lead three minutes into the contest. Griffin, the 2023 MHSAA Class 1A Mr. Football out of Velma Jackson High School, picked up 29 yards on his first rush of the game and capped EMCC's initial drive by taking it in from a yard out from the Wildcat position.

After the Rangers missed an opportunity to potentially knot the score during their second possession of the game when a downfield receiver dropped a would-be touchdown pass to halt a three-and-out series, EMCC responded by driving nearly the length of the field to move ahead, 10-0, on Hayden Houpt's 23-yard field goal to close out the first-quarter scoring.

The home-standing Lions began the second quarter with a four-play defensive stand before their offensive unit went 80 yards on 11 plays to lengthen their lead to 17-0 on Griffin's 2-yard Wildcat burst on a fourth-and-goal play at the 9:13 mark.

 Following another brief four-play series forced by EMCC's defense, the Lions' subsequent drive of 90 yards was aided by a pair of 15-yard Northwest penalties and resulted in their fourth straight unanswered score. Georgia State bounce-back quarterback Rodge Waldrop found freshman receiver Montrell Dortch in the end zone with a 10-yard touchdown pass that stretched EMCC's lead to 24-0 with 2:20 remaining in the opening half.

The Lions' first-half dominance was apparent on the halftime stats. Along with a 19-5 advantage in first downs through the opening 30 minutes of game action, EMCC owned a substantial 329-71 upper hand in first-half total offensive yards over Northwest.

As the second half kicked off, however, it was very obvious that Northwest came out of the locker room on a mission following halftime. The Rangers took the opening kickoff and methodically went 67 yards on just five plays in less than two minutes to get on the board with Neko Fann's 28-yard scoring pass to Keon Hutchins.

The visitors maintained their momentum by forcing an EMCC three-and-out and then proceeding on a five-minute scoring drive that covered 86 yards in 13 plays. Fann found M.J. Johnson on a 14-yard touchdown toss that narrowed the Lions' lead to 24-14 with 6:55 left in the third quarter.

That's when EMCC's Griffin helped initially halt Northwest's possible comeback attempt by bursting 53 yards straight up the middle to the end zone at the 3:52 mark. His third rushing touchdown of the evening made it a three-possession game (31-14) entering the final quarter of play.

The Lions got on the board one last time with Houpt's 28-yard field goal to extend the margin to 34-14 with 10:26 remaining in the contest before the Rangers attempted another comeback. Northwest answered EMCC's final score by quickly moving 75 yards on just six plays to cut the margin to 34-21 on Julius Pope's 2-yard scoring run at the 8:44 mark.

Following EMCC's nine-play empty possession that took four-plus minutes off the game clock, the Rangers made things very interesting down the stretch by making it a one-possession game. After getting the ball back with 4:16 remaining in the contest, Northwest efficiently advanced the football 64 yards on only five plays to pull within six points (34-28) on Fann's 15-yard scoring pass to Reed Jesiolowski and Hayden Wolfe's successful PAT at the 2:40 mark.

The Lions got the ball back one more time needing only to run out the remaining 2:34 on the game clock. Following a pair of 3-yard runs by Griffin, Waldrop connected with Kam Triplett up the middle for the critical final first down of the MACCC North Division gridiron battle between the two divisional powers.

Improving to 2-1 overall on the year, the EMCC Lions also received a productive passing effort from Waldrop, who completed 31-of-46 attempts for 305 passing yards, a touchdown and no interceptions for the winners. His top targets on the night were Ole Miss bounce-back receiver Noreel White with a game-high eight catches for 86 yards and Dortch with seven grabs for 67 yards and a score.

East Mississippi will stay in division play by heading to Fulton to take on the Indians of Itawamba Community College on Thursday (Sept. 18). Kickoff between EMCC and ICC is set for 7 p.m. at Eaton Field.