The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolves overcame the Trojans of Mississippi Delta and the rains of hurricane Harvey Thursday night to open the 2017 season. Co-Lin tallied 31 points while holding Mississippi Delta to just six. Co-Lin (1-0) is back in action Thursday, September 7 as the team travels to Clarksdale to face the Coahoma Tigers. Coahoma (1-0) is coming off a 35-20 victory over Southwest Community College.

The Wolves stalled on the opening drive of the contest, but scored early as Graham Eklund intercepted a Trojan pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown. Griffin Sublett tacked on the extra-point to give Co-Lin a 7-0 lead just three minutes into the ballgame.

Co-Lin relied heavily on the run as the rains and rough field conditions hindered the passing game early on. Freshman running backs Deion Dampier and Rico Owens took advantage of their looks as they marched the ball down the field late in the opening quarter. Owens punched a one-yard run in for the Wolves’ second score of the night with less than a minute left in the quarter.

The Trojans responded quickly with a 72-yard kickoff return that landed Delta inside the Wolves’ 10-yard line. Delta’s Malcom Shirley scored on a 5-yard rush to cut Co-Lin’s lead to 14-6 at the end of the first after the point after attempt was blocked.

In the second quarter, action was back and forth as both teams attempted to get the passing game going. Dampier plowed his way in from 1-yard out for his first collegiate score with 5:29 remaining in the half. The touchdown stretched the Wolves’ lead to 21-6.

Sublett pulled the game even further out of reach in the third quarter with a 34-yard field goal, and freshman quarterback Woody Barrett solidified the win in the fourth with a 1-yard rushing touchdown of his own.

Co-Lin’s defense played lights out as the Wolves held the Trojans to just 57 total yards. The Wolves racked up four sacks and a devastating 10 tackles for loss. Charles Cameron led Co-Lin with four tackles, but the Wolves showed their depth as 15 players posted more than one tackle.

Offensively, Dampier led the Wolves on the ground with 21 carries for 120 yards, Owens posted 52 yards on 12 carries, and Barrett finished with 24 yards on 19 carries. Barrett was 4-for-13 passing for 73 yards, while freshman Hayden Davis was 2-for-5 for 14 yards. Nero Nelson led Co-Lin at receiver with two catches for 54 yards.

*All stats are unofficial