JUCO Notebook: Pearl River only undefeated team
By Staff
November 4, 2004
from staff reports
Of the 14 football teams in the MACJC, only the Pearl River Wildcats made it through the nine-game regular season without a loss.
Going into Saturday's playoff game with Itawamba (4-5) at Poplarville, the 9-0 Wildcats are averaging 44 points and allowing 14.9.
Pearl River is ranked second nationally in the NJCAA behind Butler County (Kan.).
Mississippi's other semifinal game finds Hinds (8-1) going to Booneville to take on Northeast Mississippi (7-2).
Northwest Mississippi was undefeated before losing its last two games – 19-16 to Northeast and 20-19 to Itawamba to miss the playoffs.
At the other end of the spectrum, none of the MACJC teams went winless this fall. Coahoma, East Mississippi, and Copiah-Lincoln all finished in a tie at the bottom with 1-8 marks.
— Marty Stamper
POWs for last week
Pearl River linebacker Edjuan Williamson and Jones' Brandon McDonald received MACJC Player of the Week honors for last week's games. No player was nominated on offense.
Williamson had 11 tackles and forced one fumble in the Wildcats' 39-14 win over Mississippi Delta.
McDonald returned six punts for 132 yards in the Bobcats' 29-13 win at East Central.
Marty Stamper
Rangers lead league in offense
Despite missing the playoffs, the Northwest Mississippi Rangers led the MACJC in total offense with 448.2 yards per game. Northwest led the state in rushing, averaging 312.8 yards per game on the ground.
Pearl River finished second with 440.4 total yards per game. East Central (325.8) was sixth, Jones (319.6) was eighth, and East Mississippi was 11th (218.1). Coahoma, Delta, and Itawamba did not report their final statistics.
— Marty Stamper
Hinds has state's best defense
The Hinds Eagles led the state in total defense, allowing 166.3 yards per contest.
Northwest was second, allowing 212 yards per game. East Central (285.3) was sixth, Jones (288.1) was seventh, and East Mississippi (422) was 11th. Coahoma, Delta, and Itawamba did not report their final statistics.
— Marty Stamper
Give us the ball
Jones and Pearl River tied for the lead in takeaways with plus-17 for the season. East Central was third at plus-nine.
Bringing up the rear at minus-11 was Southwest Mississippi.
— Marty Stamper
Buckley cracks 1,000
Eldra Buckley of Northwest was the state's only running back to rush for over 1,000 yards during the regular season as he finished with 1,276 yards on 160 carries.
Joe Tobias of Southwest was second with 962 yards on 154 carries. Northwest quarterback Lewis Kuffuor had 932 yards on 117 rushes to place third.
East Central freshman Terrance McFadden was seventh with 772 yards on 188 carries.
Jones' Voncarie Owens was eighth with 717 yards on 117 rushes.
— Marty Stamper
Air Oliver paces Pearl River
Pearl River quarterback Jimmy Oliver threw 31 touchdown passes during the regular season. The East Marion product completed 158-of-286 passes for 2,690 yards. He threw only six interceptions.
His top receiver was Larry Brackins, who led the state in receiving yards with 826 on 40 catches.
— Marty Stamper
