EMCC Lions enjoy happy Homecoming with thrilling 31-28 division triumph over Northeast

SCOOBA – Hayden Houpt's 23-yard made field goal as the game clock reached all zeros lifted the Lions of East Mississippi Community College to a thrilling 31-28 Homecoming victory over visiting Northeast Mississippi during Saturday afternoon's MACCC North Division contest played at EMCC's Sullivan-Windham Field.

With the game tied at 28-28 and just one minute away from possibly heading to overtime following Jeremiah Harrell's 2-yard touchdown toss to Brooks Wallis on a fourth-and-goal play and subsequent two-point conversion pass to Makyi Reed-Jones, Northeast opted to squib kick the ensuing kickoff. EMCC's sure-handed return team secured the football at midfield and proceeded to advance 44 yards on six plays while setting up for the winning field goal.

The climactic finish followed a low-scoring first half of play that saw the visitors grab a slim 10-7 lead heading into halftime. Northeast opened the game's scoring with the only points of the first quarter coming on Qua Middlebrooks' 13-yard scoring run at the 4:09 mark.

The home-standing Lions responded with a 12-play, 82-yard drive that knotted the score at 7-7 on Gavin Griffin's 9-yard scoring run with 13:18 remaining in the second quarter.

Northeast reclaimed the lead (10-7) late in the half to close out the first-half scoring on Freddy Lopez's 40-yard made field goal at the 1:23 mark.

After combining for just 17 total points in the opening half, the two teams totaled a combined 42 points during an entertaining second half that began with three consecutive lead changes.

Set up by Christian Thomas' 47-yard kickoff return to open the second half, the Lions went 44 yards on eight straight rushing plays capped by Desmond Johnson's 2-yard scoring burst at the 11:39 mark. The Yazoo City product's first collegiate touchdown gave EMCC its first lead (14-10) of the game.

The Tigers immediately answered just two plays later when quarterback Caden Greer and JT Beasley connected for a 95-yard catch and run down the left sideline that was initially ruled a Northeast penalty for illegal touching when the receiver went out of bounds before coming back into play for the catch. Following video review, however, the Tigers were awarded the go-ahead touchdown when the receiver was ruled to have been blocked out of bounds.

The two teams then traded three-and-out possessions before the Lions marched 65 yards on six plays to move back ahead, 21-17, on Griffin's 1-yard scoring plunge at the 5:40 mark. The go-ahead score gave the sophomore running back his NJCAA-leading 10^th rushing touchdown of the season.

Fueled by EMCC's defense forcing Northeast into a second straight three-and-out, the Lions' offense went back to work on the ground with five consecutive run plays between Griffin and quarterback Trey Irving III. Making his second collegiate appearance, Irving went the final 14 yards for the score to lengthen the Lions' lead to 28-17 with 1:50 remaining in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Northeast's Lopez made amends for missing a 42-yard field goal attempt earlier in the quarter by hitting from 32 yards out at the 6:35 mark to make it a one-score contest at 28-20.

Following a second straight EMCC three-and-out possession, the Tigers proceeded to march 69 yards on nine plays that knotted the score at 28-28 to set up the climactic final minute of action.

East Mississippi was sparked again on offense by the tandem of Griffin and Irving, who totaled 209 rushing yards between them in the game after combining for 234 rushing yards at Coahoma two weeks prior. Against Northeast, Griffin had a game-high 115 rushing yards on 19 attempts for his fourth 100-yard rushing effort of the season while also taking over the NJCAA Division I lead in rushing touchdowns. After compiling 300 yards of total offense and being responsible for four touchdowns against Coahoma in his collegiate debut, Irving added 248 yards of total offense versus Northeast with 154 yards through the air on 15-of-20 passing along with rushing 13 times for 94 yards and a score.

Noreel White, an Ole Miss bounce-back out of St. Martin High School, was again EMCC's top pass-catcher with five receptions for 53 yards against Northeast. Thomas, Griffin and Tajii Burkett each had three grabs for the Lions.

Preparing for their second of three home games during the month of October, head coach Buddy Stephens' EMCC Lions (4-2, 3-1 MACCC North) will have a quick turnaround this week by playing host to the Wildcats of Pearl River Community College in a non-divisional Thursday contest (Oct. 16). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at EMCC's Sullivan-Windham Field on the Scooba campus.