JUCO football roundup: Northwest Mississippi, East Mississippi roll to victories
Published 3:35 pm Friday, October 19, 2018
SENATOBIA — Four different players, including former Warren Central star Demarcus Jones, scored touchdowns for Northwest Mississippi Community College on Thursday as it beat Northeast Mississippi 31-7.
Jones rushed for 28 yards and scored on a 2-yard run for the Rangers (7-1, 4-1 MACJC North), who finished with a balanced 467 total yards — 225 passing and 242 rushing.
Jacob Free was 17-of-29 passing for 225 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
Chris Calvert led the running game with 84 yards and a touchdown on only four carries, while Jaxton Carson had 67 yards and a TD on 12 carries. Monterio Hunt was the Rangers’ leading receiver with five catches for 59 yards and a touchdown.
Calvert got the scoring started for the Rangers with an 83-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter. Carson added a 5-yard run to make it 14-0 at halftime, and Free’s 18-yard TD pass to Hunt early in the third pushed the lead to 21-0.
Jones scored with 11:56 remaining in the fourth quarter as Northwest steadily pulled away.
Jalen Cobbs scored on a 1-yard run with 7:36 left in the game for Northeast Mississippi’s only touchdown. The Tigers finished with only 225 total yards.
Jerrick Reed II led Northwest Mississippi’s defense with five tackles, one fumble recovery and an interception.
East Central 17, Hinds 14
East Central Community College forced four turnovers, including a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown by Fredrick McGee, and outlasted Hinds Community College (4-4, 2-3 MACJC South) in a defensive slugfest.
East Central (4-4, 3-2) rushed for 244 yards in the game. Marquavious Qualls had 105 yards on 21 carries, while quarterback Mario Asagunla scored the team’s only offensive touchdown on a 6-yard run in the third quarter.
Don Ragsdale scored both of Hinds’ touchdowns, on a 25-yard reception and a 20-yard run. He finished with 101 total yards.
Former Port Gibson star Ivin White, Jr. had nine tackles, including three for loss and a sack, for Hinds. The Eagles also intercepted three passes.
Hinds will finish the regular season on Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. when it goes on the road to Perkinston to take on Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
East Mississippi 47, Coahoma 0
East Mississippi Community College (8-0, 5-0 MACJC North) registered nine sacks, allowed only 98 yards and recorded its second shutout of the season — and 22nd under head coach Buddy Stephens — as it blanked Coahoma on Thursday.
Linebacker Fred Hervey had 12 tackles, two sacks and four tackles for loss.
With the win, East Mississippi clinched the MACJC North Division championship.
Deon McIntosh rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns for the Lions for his fourth consecutive 100-yard game.
Itawamba 41, Southwest Mississippi 0
Clark Mills threw three touchdown passes, and Jamel Thomas caught eight passes for 83 yards and a TD as Itawamba Community College (5-3) shut out Southwest Mississippi (1-7).
Nick Smith had 12 tackles, one sack and five tackles for loss for Itawamba, whose defense forced six turnovers and allowed 212 yards.