River 2012 grid schedule set

POPLARVILLE Pearl River Community College head football coach Tim Hatten has released the Wildcats 2012 schedule that kicks off with a road trip against reigning NJCAA and MACJC champion East Mississippi. I guess well see how good we are right off the bat, said Hatten, who enters his 11th season at The River this fall. That (East Mississippi opener) is a huge game for us and them. Were looking forward to the challenge. EMCC fifth-year head coach Buddy Stephens is a PRCC alum and spent seven seasons in Poplarville (2001 through 2007) as the Wildcats offensive line coach and the last three as co-offensive coordinator before departing for Scooba in 2008. Hatten boasts 77-22 overall record with the Wildcats and four state championships (2003 through 2006) including a national title in 2004. Stephens, on the other hand, has won state titles at East Miss in 2009 and 2011, including the national championship last year. Following the Thursday, Aug. 30 opener against North Division foe EMCC, Pearl River resumes non-division play at Mississippi Delta in Moorhead Thursday, Sept. 6, before kicking off South Division action against rival Jones County Thursday, Sept. 13, in its home opener. North Division opponent Coahoma visits Thursday, Sept. 20, then back-to-back South Division road battles follow against Southwest Mississippi Thursday, Sept. 27, in Summit and Mississippi Gulf Coast Thursday, Oct. 4, in Perkinston. Division foe Copiah-Lincoln is The River Homecoming opponent Saturday, Oct. 13; followed by division rival East Central Thursday, Oct. 18, in Decatur before division foe Hinds wraps the Wildcats regular season Thursday, Oct. 25, in Poplarville. All Pearl River games are set for 7 p.m. with the exception of its homecoming game at 3 p.m. and its ECCC contest at 6:30 p.m.