Lee directs Itawamba to 20-10 win over Co-Lin
Published 5:00 am Monday, September 10, 2007
FULTON – Co-Lin held Itawamba’s powerful passing attack to justtwo touchdowns Thursday night, but it ended up being two touchdownstoo many.
ICC preseason All-American quarterback Tyson Lee completed23-of-36 passes for 318 yards and two touchdowns, and kicker RogerPorter hit two second-half field goals to lead the Indians to a20-10 victory over the Wolves at Lambert Field in the non-divisionMACJC game.
“We played a lot better than we did last week,” Co-Lin sophomoredefensive end Anthony Barnes said. “We knew they were going to passa lot and we’d have to stop it.
“We kept ourselves in the game. We just had a couple of mentalmistakes that hurt.” Co-Lin, which saw its record fall to 0-2, lostits season opener, 31-0, last week to another North Division foe,Northwest.
The Wolves return home next week to battle South Division rivalSouthwest.
Co-Lin, which trailed 17-3, in the fourth quarter, cut theIndians’ lead to seven points on a 20-yard pass from Micah Davis totight end Jonathan Massey with 8 minutes, 8 seconds remaining.
Davis, who suffered three interceptions last week, completed17-of-36 passes for 153 yards.
Running back Kentrell Cleveland, who rushed for 118 yards on 24carries, picked up 31 yards, including a 17-yard scamper, in theWolves’ seven-play, 61-yard scoring march.
ICC answered the Wolves’ score on its next possession whenPorter nailed a 35-yard field goal. He kicked a 37-yarder earlierin the quarter.
The Indians took a 14-3 lead at the 6:37 mark of the thirdquarter on a 5-yard pass from Lee to D.A. Griffin. Lee’s other TDpass was a 9-yarder to Chris Wilson that gave the Indians a 7-0lead with 2:05 remaining in the first quarter. A 25-yard strikefrom Lee to a stretching Griffin set up the six-pointer .
“Tyson made a lot of big plays and continues to lead the teamwell,” said ICC coach Jeff Terrill, whose team improved to 2-0.
The Indians’ coach was frustrated with his team’s play-killingpenalties, including a fourth-quarter personal foul call inside theCo-Lin 20 that led to a field goal attempt instead of a first downinside the 10-yard line.
“We had opportunities to put a nail in the coffin and didn’t doit,” the coach said. “I’m too old for the drama. Give Co-Lin creditfor the way they battled on offense and defense.”
ICC, which has now won 19 of its last 22 regular season games,returns to action next Thursday, hosting MACJC North Division rivalCoahoma.
Co-Lin’s lone first-half points came on Will Thibodeaux’s23-yard field goal with 9:28 left in the second quarter.
ICC linebacker Quinten Pierre’s 5-yard sack of Co-Lin’s Davis ona third-and-goal play from the Indians’ 1-yard line forced thefield goal try and stopped a touchdown threat.
The Indians attempted to answer, but a march to the Wolves’5-yard line ended with a blocked 22-yard field goal try byPorter.
ICC’s defense forced a drive-ending fumble late in the secondhalf, which stopped the visitors at the Indians’ 26-yard line.