Warrior fans were ready for some football on Thursday night versus Mississippi Gulf Coast Bulldogs. Neither the Warriors nor the Bulldogs disappointed the fans. Both teams fought till the final horn for a gridiron victory.

When the dust settled, the No. 8 Bulldogs were the victors. The Warrior quarterback, Chris Tucker completed 17-31 passes during the game for 213 yards. He also rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown. At the 11:34 mark, Devontae Causey got the scoring started with a 37-yard touchdown. Cade Mangum put the football between the uprights. The score was ECCC 7, MGCCC 0. The Bulldogs answered with a six-minute drive that covered 89 yards and resulted in a Bulldog touchdown. After the first quarter, the score was tied at 7-all.

At 7:48 in the second quarter, Mangum kicked a 27-yard field goal, pushing the lead 10-7. Once again, the Bulldogs marched down the field in three minutes and found the endzone. The half-time score was Bulldogs 14, Warriors 10.

The Warriors received the second-half kickoff. The home team marched 75 yards in 11 plays, and Causey capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Mangum confidently kicked the extra point. The score now stood in East Central's favor, 17-14. With 3:53 in the third quarter, Tucker punched the pigskin into the endzone. Mangum once again added a PAT to the scoreboard. The Warriors now held a double-digit lead in the latter stages of the third quarter. However, the Bulldogs continued to bite. They added a four-yard touchdown run. At the end of the 3rd quarter, the Warriors led 24-21.

Both fan bases were on the edges of their bleachers, believing their team would own the fourth quarter. With 8:59 left in the ballgame, the Bulldogs snatched the lead with a touchdown. The Warriors fought valiantly until the final horn, but they came up short. The final score stood at MGCCC 28, ECCC 24. The Warriors had 390 total yards of offense. Tucker threw for 213 yards and rushed for 63 yards. Those rushing yards included a touchdown.

The Warriors will travel to Copiah-Lincoln to take on the Wolves next Thursday, October 26. Gametime will be 6:30 P.M.

Story by ECCC Student, Ben Land