By Mark H. Stowers
Traveling to Clarksdale to take on rival Coahoma Community College had a sweet victorious ending for the Mississippi Delta Community College Trojans. The 21-19 conference win was the first on-the-field win for the Trojans in the last two seasons. In the last two seasons, the Tigers had won on the field but had lost in the record book due to forfeiting the games.
Trojan Head Coach Tavares Johnson Sr. is enjoying the win and is ready to build upon it.
"Everything tastes better today," Coach Johnson said. "It's easier to correct things off of a win than it is a loss. We win on the road and start off in the conference 1-0."
After the Trojan defense forced a Tiger fumble inside the Trojans' 20-yard line, MDCC found the end zone and took the first lead of the game on their third possession. The seven-play, 87-yard drive took only 2:39 off the clock. The scoring play was a 17-yard pass from freshman Troy Griffin to freshman Swahili Earby. Sophomore Davon Klein's PAT was good and the Trojans led 7-0. That lead was very short-lived as Coahoma's Marquis Willis returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for the TD. The PAT tied the score at 7-7 with 14:10 left in the second quarter.
"We have to make changes and get the right people in the right spot. You can't run down there and not hit somebody. That #2 is a special guy. When I saw them put him back there, I knew that was trouble. Our guys have to not wait for somebody else to make the play. They need to make the play."
The Tigers took the lead after starting a drive that began with an interception of Griffin at the Coahoma 12-yard line. Their seven-play, 88-yard drive took 3:58 off the clock. The missed PAT gave the Tigers a 13-7 lead with 3:50 left in the half. Neither team scored the rest of the first half.
Transfer sophomore Thalamus Marshall was under center to start the second half and on the Trojan's second possession of the third quarter put together a six-play drive covering 64 yards taking 2:47 off the clock with freshman Davion Alston hitting paydirt on a nine-yard TD run. Klein's PAT put the Trojans on top, 14-13.
The Tigers would retake the lead in the fourth quarter on a seven-play, 54-yard drive capped by a 24-yard TD pass to Willis from Jackson Allen. The Tigers tried a two-point conversion but failed when Marlon Palmer fumbled. That left the Tigers up 19-14 with 10:35 left in the game.
Marshall then led a 10-play, 85-yard drive taking only 4:21 off the clock but Alston found the end zone on a seven-yard run and Klein's PAT put the Trojans back in the lead at 21-19 with 6:04 left in the game. Coahoma started a drive at their own 41-yard line and on a 4th-and-12, freshman Chadrick Pruitt-Walker intercepted a pass intended for Willis at the MDCC 37-yard line. From there, the Trojans managed to run out the clock despite three penalties by MDCC in the drive (delay of game, false start and unsportsmanlike conduct.)
Coach Johnson played his top two quarterbacks with Griffin starting but Marshall stepping in the second half.
"We play whoever has the hot hand. I'm glad to see other starters step up and play," he said.
The Trojan offense got it's rushing game in gear and carved up the Tigers defense with 181 yards on 45 rushing attempts. Marshall had 65 yards on 12 carries while Alston had 13 rushes for 61 yards. Griffin piled up 37 yards on seven rushes as well. The passing game had the Trojans with 98 yards with 12-of-23 and two interceptions. Griffin was 10-of-18 for 66 yards and the two INTs. Marshall was 2-of-5 passing for 32 yards. Overall, the Trojans had 279 yards of total offense on 68 plays. The offense had three fumbles but only lost one.
Sophomore Sirr Trotter led the receiving corps with five receptions for 62 yards. Earby had three catches for 17, sophomore Ja'kell Allen caught two passes for 13 yards while freshman Trevon Brown had two for six yards.
The Trojan defense stood tall again this week forcing two Tiger turnovers as Pruitt-Walker and freshman Amare Pam each had interceptions. MDCC held Coahoma to 64 plays and 266 total yards – 184 passing and 82 rushing. The Trojans also forced three fumbles and recovered two.
"They ended the game for us last night (fumble recovery.) I'm proud of those guys with their sacks and TFLs (tackle for loss.) We just keep playing Trojan football. That was a big step last night. We could have easily lost that. We'll take that win and keep moving forward. That was a total team win. I told them they started winning this game on Sunday with preparation. We're glad to get off the snide."
The team had "a great bus ride home" according to Coach Johnson.
"I told them, 'see, guys, isn't this much better than riding home all quiet and scared and us complaining because you didn't do this and do that?'"
For complete stats of the game, click here.
The Trojans will be back home in the friendly confines of Jim Randall Stadium on Thursday, September 28 when they host Northeast Community College (3-0 overall, 1-0 MACCC) at 7:00 p.m.
"The red-hot Northeast ball club," Coach Johnson said. "The coaches are breaking down the film and putting together a game plan. This past week they played Itawamba and ran the ball 49 times for 200 and some odd yards (232.) They will use that big offensive linemen they have and lean on you for four quarters. We have to prepare for that."
Across the MACCC, the Trojans are currently in a four-way tie atop the standings in the North at 1-0 along with Northeast, #7 nationally ranked East Mississippi and #13 nationally ranked Northwest.
The #5 nationally ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast Bulldogs (3-0 overall, 1-0 MACCC) are tied with #12 nationally ranked Jones CC and Hinds CC for first place in the South. Copiah-Lincoln was ranked at #10 nationally before their Thursday night 42-32 loss to Jones.
For all things Trojan athletics, check out MDCCTrojans.com. And for all things MACCC and NJCAA check out macccathletics.com and www.njcaa.org.