Bears fall hard to 20th-ranked East Central in Decatur

By: Michael D. Gunnell, Southwest Sports Information

jucoweekly.org

Football | 10/17/2015 8:48:00 PM

It was an afternoon the Southwest Bears would just as soon forget as they went on the road to Decatur and came home with a 47-17 MACJC South Division loss to the 20^th-ranked East Central Warriors.

With the defeat, the Bears fell to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the South. The Warriors climbed to 6-2 and 3-2.

The game started on a high note for the Bears when Casey Haygood found Shuntez Smith on the receiving end of a 45-yard touchdown pass with 9:13 left in the first quarter. Reed James kicked the extra point to put the Bears on top 7-0.

The host Warriors answered on the ensuing possession, driving the ball 75 yards and ending the march with a nine-yard touchdown run by Tredarian Gamble. Aaron Garrett's extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 7:30 left in the quarter.

Just 0:25 later, the Warriors' Derek Mahaffey intercepted a Haygood pass in the end zone for a touchdown. A missed PAT left the Warriors on top 13-7. The Bears pulled to within three points when James booted a 27-yard field goal with 0:53 left in the quarter to make the score 13-10 going into the second quarter.

Gamble's second touchdown, a five-yard run with 13:29 left in the first half, and Garrett's PAT put the Warriors on top 20-10.

A 13-play drive that took exactly 7:00 ended with a four yard Haygood to Ravian Pierce pass with 3:39 on the clock. James' extra point closed the Bears' deficit to 20-17.

But, with only 0:43 left in the half, Gamble struck again, scoring this time on an 11-yard scramble. Garrett again kicked the extra point to put the Warriors on top 27-17 at intermission.

The Warriors added three more touchdowns in the second half, including Gamble's fourth of the day, and two Garrett PAT's to reach the final score.

"If you look at it," said Bears' head coach Tucker Peavey, "(they scored) 21 points off offensive turnovers (each of the three Bears' interceptions resulted a Warriors touchdown). We've (the coaches) have got to do a better job of teaching and making sure we read the right guy because when we did (today) we were good."

"We've got to be able to throw the ball and keep the defense off balance," Peavey continued, adding that "we just didn't play very well." But, he added, "You've got to give East Central credit. They're much improved and they're a good football team."

The Bears totaled 325 yards on the day. Haygood completed 21 of 40 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, he was intercepted three times.

Smith had four catches for 86 yards and a touchdown while Pierce had four catches for 36 yards and a score. Kameron Williams hauled in four passes for 40 yards.

LaDarion Peterson carried the ball 14 times for 53 yards while Mikel Anderson rushed 15 times for 44 yards.

The Bears picked up 19 first downs in the game and were penalized seven times for 55 yards. Brandon Mancuso punted five times for 39.8 yards.

The Warriors also totaled 325 yards of offense. Gamble led the way with 129 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries. Hosket and Trey Willis combined to complete six of 12 passes for 135 yards. Both had a touchdown pass.

The Warriors recorded nine first downs on the afternoon and were penalized five times for 48 yards. Garret punted five times for 43.2 yards.

The Bears close out the season on October 20 when they host the Hinds Eagles. Kickoff is set for 7:00 at John I. Hurst Stadium.

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Players Mentioned

#3 LaDarion Peterson: 5' 10"; Sophomore

#4 Shuntez Smith: 5' 10"; Sophomore

#6 Ravian Pierce: 6' 3"; Freshman

#7 Kameron Williams: 6' 0"; Sophomore

#16 Casey Haygood: 6' 4"; Freshman

#28 Mikel Anderson: 5' 8"; Freshman

#34 Brandon Mancuso: 5' 10"; Sophomore

#36 Reed James: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#3 LaDarion Peterson
: 5' 10"; Sophomore

#4 Shuntez Smith
: 5' 10"; Sophomore

#6 Ravian Pierce
: 6' 3"; Freshman

#7 Kameron Williams
: 6' 0"; Sophomore

#16 Casey Haygood
: 6' 4"; Freshman

#28 Mikel Anderson
: 5' 8"; Freshman

#34 Brandon Mancuso
: 5' 10"; Sophomore

#36 Reed James
: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Southwest Mississippi Community College

Scoreboard

Bears fall hard to 20th-ranked East Central in Decatur

Players Mentioned

#3 LaDarion Peterson

#4 Shuntez Smith

#6 Ravian Pierce

#7 Kameron Williams

#16 Casey Haygood

#28 Mikel Anderson

#34 Brandon Mancuso

#36 Reed James

Players Mentioned

#3 LaDarion Peterson

#4 Shuntez Smith

#6 Ravian Pierce

#7 Kameron Williams

#16 Casey Haygood

#28 Mikel Anderson

#34 Brandon Mancuso

#36 Reed James