The Warriors took care of business in Summit, Mississippi, defeating Southwest MS Community College 49-13. With the win this past Thursday, the Warriors have earned the number one seed in the MACCC south division for the first time since 2016. The Warriors will host Holmes Community College at Bailey Stadium on November 9 at 2 PM.

The East Central Community College Warriors delivered a dominant performance on October 31, 2024, defeating the Southwest Mississippi Community College Bears with a final score of 49-13 in Summit, Mississippi. The Warriors maintained consistent pressure throughout, scoring each quarter and securing the win with a well-rounded offensive and defensive effort.

The Bears struck first with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Quez Goss to Marcellus Jacks, putting them up 7-0 early. However, East Central responded with a 17-yard touchdown run by Chris Tucker, followed by an 8-yard touchdown pass from Landon Sims to Josh Palmer, ending the first quarter ahead 14-7.

Keshawn Henley extended East Central's lead in the second quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run. Shortly after, Donnie Smith capitalized on a Southwest fumble, returning it 40 yards for another touchdown, giving the Warriors a commanding 28-7 lead at halftime.

East Central continued to dominate in the third quarter. Chris Tucker's 1-yard touchdown and Karl Ligon's 3-yard run pushed their lead to 42-7. Southwest scored their final points on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Mills to Jacks, but the Warriors shut down any comeback attempt. The defensive highlight came in the fourth quarter with Amarien Jefferson's 18-yard interception return for a touchdown, sealing the 49-13 victory.

East Central's balanced attack resulted in 395 total offensive yards, including 210 passing and 185 rushing yards. Their defense was stellar, limiting Southwest to just 5 net rushing yards and forcing three turnovers. 

The Warriors'Warrior's defense has been stellar down the stretch of the regular season, and Thursday was no different!

• Sacks: The Warriors recorded six sacks, with Donnie Smith leading the way with 2.5 sacks for 19 yards lost. This constant pressure on the Bears' quarterbacks disrupted their passing game throughout the night.
• Tackles for Loss: The team accumulated 11 tackles for loss, amounting to a loss of 50 yards. This aggressive approach made it difficult for Southwest to gain momentum on the ground or through short passes.
• Forced Turnovers: The defense forced three turnovers, including two fumble recoveries. Donnie Smith also recovered a fumble and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown, a critical play that further swung the game in East Central's favor.
• Interceptions: The Warriors' defense intercepted two passes. Amarien Jeffers highlighted the defensive effort with an 18-yard interception return for a touchdown, putting the game out of reach for Southwest.
• Total Tackles: Keoni Denny led the defense with 7 tackles, including 3 solo and 4 assisted. Cedric Moore Jr. and Prince Cottonham contributed six tackles each.

Up Next 

The Warriors will face off against the Holmes Community College Bulldogs this upcoming Saturday. The Bulldogs started their season 7-0 but have lost their last two games to Northwest (37-35) and EMCC ( 51-15). With a win on Saturday, the Warriors would also host the MACCC State Championship game on November 16. 

Reminder: Tailgating is welcome in the designated areas at Bailey Stadium. Let's Pack Out Bailey and support our Warriors football team!

Tickets 

https://ecccathletics.com/tickets

Support Warrior Athletics 

https://www.eccc.edu/athletics-giving-page