MGCCC’S Eli Hughes (1) breaks loose on a 71-yard TD pass November 3 against Northwest.
PERKINSTON—With a 24-17 halftime lead, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College decided to do what it does best in the second half…run the football. The Bulldogs used two soul-draining touchdown drives in the third quarter paced by the rushing game that led to 19 unanswered points and a 43-17 win over No. 9 Northwest in the MACJC Playoffs. It’s the sixth straight MACJC championship appearance for Gulf Coast and seventh since 2005.
“We established a personality in the second half,” said Gulf Coast head coach Steve Campbell, who’s now 4-0 against Northwest in the post season. “The running opened up some big pass plays for us, and our defense limited their big plays.”
Gulf Coast (9-1), ranked No. 7 in the NJCAA, fell behind 7-0 to Northwest (7-2) in the first quarter but bounced back on two Detrick Goff TD runs to take a 14-7 lead heading into the second quarter. Two minutes later the Rangers got their second TD run from Percy O’Bannon to tie the game at 14-14. Gulf Coast then answered as quarterback Clint Hatten (19-26, 261 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs) hit Eli Hughes out of the backfield on a 71-yard TD to regain the lead for good.
To open the third quarter, the Bulldogs put together a 16-play, 75-yard drive that used up 6:54 to extend the lead to 30-17 on a 5-yard TD pass from Hatten to tight end Marlon Pope. After the Bulldog defense stopped Northwest on a fourth down attempt from deep in Gulf Coast territory, the offense embarked on an 11-play, 95-yard drive capped off by the third rushing touchdown of the day by Derick Goff, making it 36-17 late in the third quarter.
Freshman wide receiver Dhaquille Williams finished the scoring on a 48-yard TD pass from Hatten in the final period. Williams, who is among the NJCAA’S leaders in receiving yards and TDs, was itching to make a big play all game long.
“At halftime Coach Campbell told me to be patient and good things would happen,” Williams said. “D.T. (DeAdrian Terry) made a block for me, and I was on my way.”
The Bulldog defense picked off three passes and held the Rangers to 78 yards passing in the contest.
The win also extended the Gulf Coast home winning streak to 20 and sets up next Saturday’s MACJC championship clash with Co-Lin, a 47-46 winner over East Mississippi in the other MACJC playoff game. The Bulldogs defeated Co-Lin (8-2) 54-21 back on October 20.
“We play so we can be at this point in the season,” added Campbell, who is 3-3 in MACJC title games. “Our goal isn’t to get to a championship, it’s to win it.”
Bulldog fans can watch all the action Saturday, November 10 via streaming video at www.mgcccbulldogs.com or listen at 103.1 FM WOSM. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at A.L. May Memorial Stadium in Perkinston.