Bear hunt could lead to playoff for ECCC

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Oct. 31, 2002
The East Central Community College Warriors hope to do a little bear hunting Thursday night at Summit. A successful hunt would mean a win over the Southwest Mississippi Bears which would give the Warriors their second straight trip to the state playoffs. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Despite a 3-5 overall mark, the Warriors are 3-2 in the MACJC South Division and have wins over Jones and Hinds, the only other teams that can factor in the race for second place, thus giving ECCC the tie-breaker advantage.
If ECCC loses, Thursday's Gulf Coast at Jones winner will advance.
The Warriors are coming off a 34-33 overtime loss at Northwest Mississippi last Saturday, leaving them only four days to prepare for the key game.
ECCC knocked off Jones on a Thursday after losing at Copiah-Lincoln the previous Saturday.
The loss at Northwest cost the Warriors two more players quarterback Kevin Stephens and left guard John Williams. Ironically, Stephens took over the signal-calling chores at this same point last year with a similar injury to then quarterback Brian Zbydniewski.
ECCC was leading Northwest 21-7 when Stephens went down.