Cleveland helps Co-Lin have happy homecoming
Published 5:00 am Monday, October 22, 2007
WESSON – Copiah-Lincoln Community College crowned Bogue Chittonative Meleah Brown the 2007 Homecoming Queen late Saturdayafternoon in pregame festivities in H.L. Stone Stadium. Then Brownand her court watched the Wolves claim a 27-17 win over the EastMississippi Community College Lions Saturday night.
With the non-division win by the Wolfpack, they improve to 3-5overall and remain 2-3 in the South Division. East Mississippi fellto 3-5 overall and remained 3-2 in the North Division.
Co-Lin will host Jones County Junior College Thursday night at 7p.m., in the final game of the season. East Mississippi travels toItawamba.
The Wolfpack racked up 379 yards of total offense with 223coming on the ground. Mendenhall native Kentrell Cleveland carriedthe bulk of the Co-Lin attack with 190 yards on 32 carries and 2touchdowns.
“Kentrell had a great night tonight for us,” said Co-Lin headcoach Glenn Davis. “He was challenged last week (at East Central)and he stepped up.”
The Wolfpack air attack garnered the first score of the night.Quarterback Micah Davis found wide out Toddrick Bajoie with a6-yard scoring strike with 5:57 left in the opening stanza. WillThibodeaux tacked on the first of 3 PAT kicks and Co-Lin led7-0.
Cleveland carried the ball 5 times for 20 yards during theopening Wolfpack drive.
In the second frame, Cleveland capped off a 5-play, 56-yardmarch with a 5-yard jaunt to the goal line. Davis’ ballclub had a14-0 lead.
East Mississippi, coached by Roger Carr, would take the ensuingkickoff at the Lion 46. Reserve Quarterback James Patterson went 35yards to the end zone. Chandler Brooks kicked the PAT and the Lionstrailed 14-7 with 9:04 left in the first half.
After holding Co-Lin, Carr’s squad quickly moved 80 yards in 7plays. The 2-minute, 44-second drive culminated with quarterbackJare Gault hitting split end David Rue with a 16-yard touchdownpass. Brooks’ extra point attempt was successful and the score wasdeadlocked at the intermission 14-14.
The Lions would foster 284 yards of total offense with 227coming on the ground. LaGarrette Blount, a 6-foot-2, 225-poundrunning back from Perry, Fla., tallied 94 yards on 16 rushes.Blount came into the game as one of the top 3 rushers in theMississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges.
Co-Lin would get a 27-yard field goal from Thibodeaux at the10:34 mark of the third period for a 17-14 Wolfpack advantage.Brooks added a 44-field goal 4 minutes later to realize the game’ssecond deadlock at 17-all.
Cleveland found paydirt for his second touchdown of the nightwith 30 seconds left in the third, a 1-yard plunge. Thibodeauxcapped off the scoring with 9:38 left in the game on a 28-yardfield goal.
“This was the best game that we have played all year,” saidCoach Davis. “We especially moved the ball on the offensive end. Wewere able to move the ball throwing and running.”
Davis’ son, Micah, completed 16 of 29 passes for 167 yards. Hisleading receiver was Bajoie, who had 8 receptions for 69 yards.
Carr was unavailable for comment following the game.
EMCC defensive coordinator Kelby Bowman, a Brookhaven native,said the Lions played well enough to win the game. “We just had afew breakdowns.”