WESSON — Lakedric Lee and Jaquarius Landrews were fierce rivals during their respective high school careers at North Pike and McComb. A year later they are united and pulling together as members of the Copiah-Lincoln Community College football team.
Lee scored two touchdowns and Landrews intercepted a game-clinching East Mississippi pass, preserving a thrilling 31-24 overtime victory against the two-time defending national champion Lions last Thursday night in jam-packed Stone Stadium. Co-Lin (2-0), ranked No. 4 last week in the NJCAA poll, handed the No. 1-ranked Lions (1-1) their first loss this season, snapping a 25-game win streak in the process.
Co-Lin was the last team to master the Lions, winning 47-46 on Nov. 3, 2012, in the first round of the MACJC state playoffs. Co-Lin beat Gulf Coast in the state championship game the following week at Perkinston.
Lee, a powerful 5-foot-11, 210-pound sophomore, scored the winning touchdown in overtime. He caught a short pass from Co-Lin freshman quarterback Garrett Kruzcek and went on a tackle-breaking, 6-yard plunge. Earlier, he rushed five yards for the game-tying TD with 23 seconds left in the game.
“Our offensive line gave Garrett time to throw,” Lee said. “The line did a good job blocking for me.”
The Landrews pick set off a wild celebration on the Co-Lin sideline. It was True Blue Night in Stone Stadium. The Wolfpack wore blue jerseys and blue pants, capped by silver helmets.
Landrews (6-0, 185), a freshman, celebrated with family and friends on the field. He smiled and happily posed for pictures with well-wishers.
EMCC quarterback Wyatt Roberts had guided the Lions toward the end zone and the tying touchdown in overtime. Following the OT format, they started at the 25-yard line and picked up a first down.
Roberts, under heavy pressure, tried to thread the needle, but Landrews was in the right place at the right time.
“I just read it (pass play),” Landrews said. “I feel pretty great. When Joe (Este) got hurt, I stepped in.”
Co-Lin head coach Glenn Davis said he was proud of his team’s performance. “This was a great win for our program,” Davis said. “Landrews made a great play on that slant pass. It was the same play they ran on us earlier in the game.”
Kruzcek passed for 390 yards and three touchdowns. The freshman from Winter Park, Fla., completed 32 of 49 passes.
“My redshirt year, I saw the bad part,” Kruzcek, recalling the two lopsided losses to EMCC in 2014, said. “This win makes a statement. I’m proud to bring that No. 1 (status) back to Wesson.”
Co-Lin defensive coordinator Otis Yelverton said his unit responded to EMCC’s high-powered attack. The Lions had amassed 36 first downs and 764 yards total offense in a 69-20 trouncing of Southwest a week earlier at Scooba.
“Our defense played very well,” Yelverton said. “We made some mistakes but we capitalized on other things. We saw the things that (EMCC) wanted to do.
“Landrews came in and made a clutch play. He had a 3.4 (GPA) and was a college qualifier. He’s smart and he knows how to adjust. He’s very athletic for a guy his size.”
Lee enjoyed his best game at Co-Lin. He rushed 26 times for 113 yards and he caught 12 passes for 113 more yards. His 5-yard run with 23 seconds left in regulation and the extra point kick by Greg Nickles gained a 24-24 deadlock.
Lee said he and Landrews grew up together.
“He (Landrews) was my little cousin. We knew he could do a great job for us (at strong safety),” Lee said.
Co-Lin claims other Pike County connections in freshman linebacker Colton Magee and sophomore wide receiver Jalen Jackson, both of North Pike.
Co-Lin plays at Mississippi Delta Community College in Moorhead tonight. The Wolfpack returns home to host archrival Southwest Mississippi Community College on Sept. 17.
