Trojans Fall to Tigers, 20-14

By Mark H. Stowers 

On the stat sheet, it wasn't close. The Trojans (1-4 overall and 0-2 MACCC) racked up 382 yards of offense and only gave up 192. But on the scoreboard, the Mississippi Delta Community College Trojans fell to the Northeast Mississippi Community College Tigers (2-3 overall and 1-2 MACCC), 20-14. The home game at Sandy Wilson Field/Jim Randall Stadium on the Moorhead Campus of MDCC was a rescheduled contest due to Hurricane Francine. There were plenty of chances to win the game but fumbles, interceptions and a fake punt called by a player on a 4th and eight on the Trojan 36 and not Head Coach Tavares Johnson Sr. doomed the Trojans to loss number four on the season. The up-back bobbled the snap and fumbled and Northeast took over at the Trojan 32.

"A tough one on our own accord. Six penalties for 81 yards. Five turnovers. Five fumbles (lost three) and one interception. It's all on us. And then, the bonehead play on special teams. The person in particular thought he saw something. I don't know what he thought he saw. He called a fake. At the wrong time."

The Trojans were leading 14-13 when the fake punt was called.

"Our coaches did a great job. Had the guys well-prepared on offense and defense. It's evident with the stats - 382 yards offense," Coach Johnson said. "We just got to learn how to finish the game."

The Trojans now travel to Goodman on Thursday, October 10 to take on #8 nationally ranked Holmes Community College Bulldogs who are 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the MACCC.

"If you have an opportunity to play a top 10 team, if that don't get you up, then you're in the wrong profession. Same deal with the players. If they don't get you up, you're in the wrong profession. Just to have an opportunity to play a good team, for me, is enough to get my juices going. It's going to take time to get this one out of us today. We'll be right back at it tomorrow," Coach Johnson said.

The Bulldogs will be another nationally ranked tough opponent and challenge for Coach Johnson and his Trojans.

"They play hard. And their quarterback gets the ball out pretty fast. They weren't throwing the ball most of the game. They are a sound team should be a good challenge for them. I ain't calling that fake punt."

In the Northeast game, the Trojans got on the scoreboard first then sophomore Troy Griffin found paydirt on a 14-yard TD run. The 12-play, 90-yard drive took 5:46 off the clock and the PAT by Ceidrick Hunt gave the Trojans the 7-0 lead with 9:14 left in the first quarter. 

Northeast found their way onto the scoreboard in the second quarter capping off a nine-play, 43-yard drive with a 43-yard field goal with 13:30 left in the second quarter to make it 7-3. MDCC attempted a 28-yard field goal with five seconds left in the half but it was blocked and JD Washington returned it 66-yards for a TD giving the Tigers the 10-7 halftime lead.

The Tigers tacked on a 37-yard field goal after a five-play, 25-yard drive taking three minutes off the clock and led 13-7 with 10:04 left in the third. The Trojan offense wasn't done and answered with a 14-play, 74-yard drive with a six-yard TD run to finish the drive courtesy of quarterback Tyreese Hullette. The Hunt PAT gave the Trojans the 14-13 lead with 2:27 left in the third. 

The Tigers put together their last scoring drive of the night in a simple 33-yard TD pass - one play, eight seconds and a 20-lead with 8:04 left in the game. MDCC couldn't find their way back to the endzone and the Tigers took the road win, 20-14.