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SPORTS INFORMATION Sept. 28, 2007 ’Cats top Warriors 33-24 Pearl River uses ground game to upend Warriors By: Mitch Deaver DECATUR — Four-time defending MACJC football champ Pearl River took a hard-fought 33-24 MACJC South Division victory over scrappy East Central here Thursday, pumping its record to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in league play. The Wildcats sputtered offensively in the first two quarters, amassing a meager 112 total yards (36 rush, 76 pass), but rebounded in the second half to finish the game with 319, including 168 on the ground. “We knew coming in that we’d have our hands full with them (East Central),” said sixth-year Wildcat head coach Late in the period, PRCC drove to the ECCC 37 where Wildcat quarterback Pat Oliver of PRCC’s Roger Frazier of After the Warriors answered with a three and out, East Central’s first possession of the second half started at its own 10 where Williams fumbled on a third and 14 and the ball bounded out the end zone for a safety to put the Wildcats up 12-10 with 12:10 left in the third. Bubba Kirksey of Hattiesburg High returned the ensuing free kick 28 yards to his own 38 and a 15-yard Warrior personal foul pushed things to the ECCC 46 where the Wildcats drove to the 22 before Oliver fumbled and the Warriors recovered. Two snaps later, East Central’s Jacob Massey fumbled and PRCC linebacker Hendrick Leverette of Oak Grove recovered at the 34. Oliver connected on a 32-yard completion to Chris Reed of Hattiesburg High on a second and nine to push tings to the one, setting the stage for a scoring plunge by Tim Rawlinson of East Central immediately answered with a nine-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Starting at their own 20, the Warriors executed eight straight running plays to push things to the Wildcat 26 before Williams zipped a scoring pass to Kendrick May with 4:26 left in the period. Hannah’s extra point cut Frazier’s 31-yard return on the ensuing kickoff was complimented by another 15-yard East Central personal foul, setting things up at the Warrior 44. Eleven snaps later, Oliver hit Jerry Duncan of Petal with a five-yard scoring pass. Rawlinson, one of the Wildcats’ starting linebackers, carried four times during the drive, including a three-yard gainer on a fourth and two at the Warrior 24. Kirksey followed with back-to-back carries for 15 yards. Bingham kicked the extra point to make it 26-17 with 14:16 left in the game. East Central answered with the game’s final points off an eight-play, 44-yard drive with Williams hitting Katlan French with a three-yard scoring pass with 6:03 left. Hannah’s PAT ended the scoring. ECCC finished the game with 18 first downs to PRCC’s 14, while the Warriors generated 275 yards of offense (209 rush, 66 pass). Kirksey led all rushers in the game with 83 yards on 15 carries, while Roosevelt Ross led the Warriors with 76 yards on 15 attempts. PRCC’s Ike Bowden had 43 yards on seven carries before exiting the game with an ankle injury in the first half, while ECCC’s Maurice Langston had 44 yards on 10 attempts. Oliver finished the game connecting on 12 of 25 passes (one interception) for all the Wildcats’ aerial yardage, while Williams was six of 14 (no interceptions). Sullivan punted five times for a 42.4-yard average, while Crenshaw had five kicks for a 40-yard average. for all Pearl River returns to action next Thursday when non-division rival Holmes visits Dobie Holden Stadium in Poplarville, while East Central travels to third-ranked Elsewhere around the MACJC In other South Division action Thursday, unbeaten and nationally-ranked Next week in the MACJC Next week in the MACJC North Division, Coahoma hosts Northwest Mississippi in n |