An impressive first half was followed by a lackluster performance the final two quarters as the East Central Community College Warriors let a 19-point halftime lead slip away in a 32-31 defeat to Coahoma Community College Thursday night at Bailey Stadium in Decatur.

“It was a total embarrassment the second half,” ECCC interim head coach Brian Anderson said following the disappointing loss. “We weren’t ready to play. That’s my fault. We weren’t lined up where we were supposed to be. We didn’t execute plays. We just didn’t do the things you need to do to win a ballgame like this.”

Anderson said his squad simply made too many mistakes in the second half, which began with the Warriors holding a 31-12 advantage.

“Being the first game, there’s going to be some mistakes,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve got a lot of mistakes we can correct. We’ve got to get to work and try to get better and fix some of our mistakes.”

East Central scored on its first two possessions of the game, the first when running back Derrick Cade of Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Central tallied on a one-yard burst, capping a six-play, 74-yard march. Chad Mangum of Oak Hill Academy added the first of his four PATs.

Quarterback Emmanuel Taylor, a product of Early County High School in Blakley, Ga., rushed for 56 yards during the drive, with his longest effort coming on a 27-yard scramble to the Coahoma 14.

Taylor connected on a 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Antonio Hughes of Morton for the second score, capping a 60-yard drive in just six plays, and the Warriors led 14-0 with 6:26 remaining in the first period.

The Tigers drove to the EC 13 on the ensuing possession, but the scoring threat was nixed when Warrior defensive back C. J. Estelle of Childersburg, Ala., intercepted quarterback  Kenondrick Brown’s pass in the end zone.

Coahoma was not to be denied on its next possession as running back Artavis Gregory of Fairley found pay dirt from three yards out early in second period action. The PAT failed. The scoring drive covered 62 yards and took nine plays.

The Warriors responded with their third score, an 11-yard touchdown pass from Taylor to wide receiver Antonio Ricks of Carthage with about 11 minutes left before halftime.

The scoring drive was set up by Estelle’s 37-yard kickoff return to the Coahoma 44. A key play during the march was Taylor’s 17-yard completion to Owens on third and six, which gave EC a new set of downs at the Tiger 23-yard-line.

Now trailing 21-6, Coahoma took possession on its 37 following the kickoff and moved into Warrior territory. But the drive ended when EC defensive back Elijah Tanksley of Meridian intercepted Brown’s pass at the Warrior 17-yard-line.

EC mounted another impressive drive following the turnover and reached the end zone when Taylor and Hughes connected on an eight-yard TD pass with just over two minutes left before halftime, extending the Warrior lead to 28-6.

Key plays during the 83-yard, 14-play march include a 19-yard completion from Taylor to wide receiver Duane Bilbro of Morton to the Coahoma 24, and Cade’s 12-yard run, which gave EC first and goal at the eight.

The Tigers quickly responded with a score of their own, when new quarterback Garrick Jones of Whitehaven heaved a 23-yard TD strike to tight end Bobby Holiday of Fairley on a fourth and 10 situation with just 28 seconds remaining before the break, cutting the EC advantage to 28-12.

The Warriors took the ensuing kickoff at their 32, and thanks to Taylor’s 17-yard burst and his 22-yard strike to Hughes, EC reached the Coahoma 27 and set up Mangum’s successful 45-yard field goal to end first-half action.

EC’s offense looked unstoppable during that first half, as Taylor connected on 10 of 13 passes for 119 yards and three scores, and had eight carries for 69 yards. Hughes was the top receiver with three catches for 51 yards and a score.

The Warriors held a 15-9 advantage in first downs at halftime, and had the edge in total yardage, 287 to 228.

But the second half was a different story.  

The Tigers closed the scoring gap to 31-18 on Jones’ 53-yard TD pass to Dawson with 9:27 left in the third period, capping a 65-yard march in 13 plays.

The Warriors reached the Coahoma 18 on the ensuing possession, but the drive stalled and Mangum’s 40-yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar.

After an exchange of possession, Dawson added his second tally of the evening in exciting fashion, as he zipped though the Warrior punt coverage on a 97-yard return on the final play of the third quarter. Jones fired a strike to Hollis Moore II, of Whitehaven for the two-point conversion, cutting the EC advantage to 31-26.

 The Warriors reached scoring territory early in the fourth period, but were unable to take advantage of the opportunity as Mangum’s 37-yard field goal was wide left.

Following the missed field goal, Coahoma took possession on its 20 and marched 80 yards in 15 plays, capped by running back Artavis Gregory’s five-yard TD burst, giving the Tigers a 32-31 advantage with 5:14 remaining. The two-point conversion failed. Gregory is a product of Fairley High School. 

EC mounted an impressive drive in the game’s final minutes, but turned the ball over when Taylor’s eight-yard completion to receiver Radarius Owens of Quitman to the 20-yard line was inches short of a first down.

For the night, Taylor completed 17 of 27 passes for 170 yards and three scores. Hughes was the top receiver with five catches for 57 yards and one TD.

Taylor was also the Warriors’ top rusher with 97 yards on 17 carries. Cade had 67 yards on 18 carries and one score.

ECCC had 401 yards of total offense and 22 first downs.

For Coahoma, Jones completed 18 of 25 passes for 249 yards and two scores.  Dawson was the top receiver with six catches for 131 yards and one score. He also tallied on a 97-yard punt return. Gregory was the top rusher with 70 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns.

The Tigers had 479 yards total offense and 18 first downs.

Next up for East Central is another non-division battle as the Warriors travel to Holmes Community College Thursday, Sept. 3, for a 7 p.m. kickoff in Goodman.

The Bulldogs began their season Thursday by falling 45-7 to nationally ranked Pearl River Community College in Goodman.