From the
Pearl River
Community College
Department of Public Relations

Press Archives

Search the Archives
 

     ELLISVILLE   Pearl River Community College rallied from a 15-point fourth-quarter
deficit here Saturday to take a 20-15 upset victory over defending state champion Jones and end
the nationally-ranked Bobcats' 18-game winning streak.
     The contest opened the 1999 South Division schedules for both squads. Pearl River
improved to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the division, while Jones, ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA poll, fell
to 3-1 and 0-1.
     The win marks the second straight for the Wildcats, including September 16's 24-8 non-
division win over Mississippi Delta. PRCC fell to Itawamba 27-16 in its season opener in Fulton,
then East Mississippi's September 9 visit ended with a 35-3 loss. Pearl River eyes winless
Coahoma this Saturday in Clarksdale for the Tigers' homecoming game, while Jones takes on
Mississippi Gulf Coast in Perkinston for its second division outing of the year.
     "There weren't too many people that gave us much of a chance," said PRCC fifth-year
head coach Keith Daniels. "But we knew if we hung in there and executed, good things would
happen. They did in the fourth quarter. You can talk about Jones being third ranked nationally and
about them winning 18 straight games...all of that is important. But it all comes down to attitude,
blocking, and tackling. I'm most proud of how our guys hung in there and hung in there. They
kept playing hard until they made the plays to win."
     Trailing 15-0 in the fourth quarter, QB Travis Cunningham scored twice, while freshman
QB Nate Breland of Brooklyn (Forrest County AHS) rifled an 80-yard TD strike to freshman WR
Keshun Fudge of Hattiesburg for the win. Cunningham, a sophomore from Waterloo, S.C., also
hit freshman RB Trey McLemore of Lumberton with a two-point conversion pass on the first
score. Cunningham returned to the Wildcat lineup following a two-game absence after suffering a
knee injury in the loss to Itawamba.
     After limiting the Bobcats to only a field goal in the first two quarters, the Wildcats got
things stirred-up early in the second half when freshman DB Bobby Easley of Waxahachie, Tex.,
recovered a Bobcat fumble at the Jones 25 on the opening kickoff. Five plays later, the JCJC
defense made a fourth-and-goal stop of sophomore FB Michael Shelby of Petal at the one-foot
line with 12:52 left in the period.
     Two series later, Bobcat RB Andre Pickering was the spark plug of a six-play, 69-yard
scoring drive with second-down runs of 21 and 34 yards. RB Quinten Callum ran six yards for the
TD with 4:44 left. PK Nick Meinhardt's PAT was wide right, but things were 9-0 Jones' way.
     Five plays into PRCC's ensuing drive, a third-down fumble was recovered by JCJC DB
Eric Sims at midfield. QB Keon Carter kept on first down to the Wildcat 35, then hit WR Javon
Walker with a 34-yard touchdown strike three plays later. Meinhardt converted and things were
15-zip with 1:03 left in the third.
     Pearl River's comeback started at its own 44 with 26 seconds left in the third. On the
drive, freshman FB Avery Hatten of Hattiesburg (North Forrest) shined with runs of 19, 5, and 12
yards, moving things to the Jones 21. Breland followed with an 18-yard keeper   his only rush of
the night   to the one, setting the stage for Cunningham who scooted-in for the score three plays
later. Cunningham passed to McLemore for the two-point conversion with 11:30 left. JCJC 15,
PRCC 8.
     The Wildcat defense held, setting the stage for Breland's 80-yarder to Fudge two plays
into PRCC's ensuing possession. Freshman PK Jack Byrd's PAT was blocked, but The River had
pulled within one   15-14   with 8:58 left .
     Once again the Wildcat rose to the occasion and with 6:08 remaining, Pearl River began
its game-winning drive at the Bobcat 20. On first down, Breland hit McLemore for 11 yards, then
a fumble by Cunningham on an end sweep was recovered by Fudge for positive yardage and
another first down. Breland zipped Fudge his second catch of the night   a 25-yarder   then
followed with a perfectly-thrown 37-yard completion to McLemore to the JCJC 2 two plays later.
Cunningham took it in for the 20-15 lead on the next play with 3:02 left. PRCC had two shots at
the two-point conversion, thanks to a JCJC penalty, but it failed.
     Freshman LB Corey Johnson of Picayune ended Jones' hopes when he snagged his first
interception of the collegiate career with a minute remaining.
     "The difference in that game was the fact that our guys were determined to win," Daniels
said. "I'm convinced that our mind set was such that we weren't going to settle for anything less."
     Jones finished with 437 yards of total offense (235 rush, 202 pass), while Pearl River
managed 307 (167 rush, 140 pass). Carter completed 11 of 33 passes (33 percent) with one
interception, while Breland and Cunningham were each two of four for 102 and 38 yards,
respectively. Fudge had 102 yards on two catches, while McLemore had 37 yards on two. As a
team, PRCC completed four of 10 with no picks.
     Hatten paced the Wildcat rushing attack with 44 yards on eight carries, while Callum led
all rushers with 94 yards on 24 totes. Pickering had 84 on seven.
     In other community college action last Thursday, East Central defeated Copiah-Lincoln
26-7 in Decatur, Hinds defeated Mississippi Gulf Coast 26-24 in Raymond, Holmes defeated
Northeast 34-6 in Booneville, Itawamba defeated Mississippi Delta 35-20 in Fulton, Southwest
defeated East Mississippi 32-0 in Scooba, and Northwest defeated Coahoma 66-0 in Clarksdale.
     Games set for this Thursday include Copiah-Lincoln (1-3, 0-1) hosting Hinds (4-0, 1-0) in
Wesson, Southwest (3-1, 0-0) hosting East Central (3-1, 1-0) for its South Division opener in
Summit, and Holmes (2-2, 1-0) hosting Itawamba (3-1, 1-0) in Goodman. Saturday games include
Coahoma (0-4, 0-1) hosting Pearl River (2-2, 1-0) in Clarksdale for its homecoming, Mississippi
Gulf Coast (3-1, 0-1) hosting Jones (3-1, 0-1) in Perkinston, Mississippi Delta (0-4, 0-1) hosting
East Mississippi (1-3, 0-0) for its homecoming, Northwest (3-1, 1-0) hosting Northeast (0-4, 0-1)
in Senatobia.

SOUTH STANDINGS
Hinds (4-0, 1-0)
East Central (3-1, 1-0)
Pearl River (2-2, 1-0)
Southwest (3-1, 0-0)
Jones (3-1, 0-1)
Mississippi Gulf Coast (3-1, 0-1)
Copiah-Lincoln (1-3, 0-1)

NORTH STANDINGS
Itawamba (3-1, 1-0)
Northwest (3-1, 1-0)
Holmes (2-2, 1-0)
East Mississippi (1-3, 0-0)
Coahoma (0-4, 0-1)
Mississippi Delta (0-4, 0-1)
Northeast (0-4, 0-1)