Published in the Meridian Star on Sept. 29, 2013
SCOOBA — When East Mississippi Community College’s Drew White lined up to kick the extra point with 4:33 left on the game clock, a miss would have prevented history.
Luckily for EMCC, the ball sailed between the uprights and the scoreboard reflected the 90th point scored by EMCC en route to 90-7 homecoming blowout over Coahoma Community College Saturday afternoon.
The final score ties the NJCAA all-time single-game point record.
“We knew what it was when we were on that drive,” EMCC head coach Buddy Stephens said. “It didn’t matter. We were trying to keep from scoring a little bit.”
The Lions grabbed the piece of history in front of a full crowd including family members and school alumni who were invited as part of Homecoming festivities.
“Scoring 90 points, that’s real special,” sophomore quarterback Dontreal Pruitt said. “It’s special that a lot of people came out to see us. We had some family come down from 10, 11 hours come see their kids play.”
At the time of the successful PAT, it was announced that the Lions had claimed solo possession of the record.
A discrepancy between the NJCAA Record Book and game scores from the 2011 season had the Lions and fans thinking they were chasing the 89-point mark.
On Sept. 17, 2011, Hutchinson Community College (Kan.) beat Highland Community College (Kan.), 90-7, a week after Bulter Community College (Kan.) had shut out Highland, 89-0.
It wasn’t until two hours after the game that EMCC officials were able to confirm with NJCAA officials about the true record – alone or shared, EMCC still has a piece of it with the blowout.
After tying the national record, it’s only fitting that broke a few school records as well.
The Lions scored 11 touchdowns and reset the school’s single-game points record three times in the process.
The seven allowed-points is the most this season, as the win pushes the Lions’ point differential to 337-13. The third-quarter touchdown by Coahoma’s Quaintavous Peterson broke the shutout quarter streak at 15.
“We’re a very talented football team, we’ve just got to quit making some stupid mistakes,” Stephens said. “[But,] 83-point win, not a lot you can find wrong.”
A.J. Stamps ran in a 20-yard punt return to make it 76-7 with 14:32 in the fourth quarter. Previously, EMCC’s record had been 75 points, which was scored in the 2009 Mississippi State Championship game – a 75-71 win over Gulf Coast.
Four and a half minutes later, the record was reset when two freshmen connected for their first passing touchdown and reception.
With a comfortable 55-0 lead, Stephens slid Todd Mays into the quarterback hole to start – and finish – the second half.
“He’s a very illusive kid, does an awesome job learning the offense and running the offense,” Stephens said. “He’s very multiple, you can throw him, run him, you can throw it to him.”
Mays found former Meridian High School star Isaac Johnson in the end zone with 10:01 on the clock to put the national mark in sight at, 83-7.
“It feel good, played quarterback in high school, doing a little bit of both here so, it feel good to get a throwing a touchdown,” Mays said. “I never thought about this. It was an unbelievable performance by the whole team.”
Mays finished the day connecting on 8-of-9 passes for 97 yards and one touchdown. He was the leading rusher with 97 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Running back Preston Baker scored his third touchdown of the game, second on the ground, from the 4-yard line for the historic score. It capped a 58-yard, six play drive.
Baker finished the game as the second leading rusher for the Lions with 51-yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. In the second quarter, he caught a 15-yard pass from Pruitt.
Pruitt only played the first half, but put up big numbers in those 30 minutes. He finished 22-of-26 for 370 yards and five touchdowns in the air. On the ground, he covered 21 yards on six carries for one touchdown.
Thursday, EMCC (5-0) will travel to Holmes Community College at 7 p.m.