September 2, 2022: East Central running back Ben Myrick (1) takes the handoff during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports
In an almost unbelievable footnote in the prep football annals of South Mississippi, East Central beat Moss Point for the eighth straight time on the football field Friday night.
The visiting Hornets jumped out to a quick 14-0 first quarter lead that propelled new head coach Sam Huff’s squad to 31-6 win against the homestanding Tigers on Dantzler Street. The win pushed East Central to 2-0 on the young campaign, and kept MPHS winless at 0-2.
September 2, 2022: Moss Point Kaleb Raston (5) punts during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: East Central running back Ben Myrick (1) takes the handoff during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: East Central head coach Sam Huff before the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: East Central running back Eli Smith (3) runs for a first down during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: East Central Preston Robinson (30) kicks an extra point during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports
East Central got short scoring runs from quarterback Andrew Marble and tailback Eli Smith pretty quickly to open the contest. Then, sophomore running back Ben Myrick raced 57 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter to basically put the game away at that point.
September 2, 2022: East Central middle linebacker Jared Huff (25) breaks up a pass during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: Moss Point head coach W. Eugene Harmon watches from the sideline during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: Moss Point Lyntavius Feazell (4) runs the ball during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: East Central running back Eli Smith (3) runs the ball during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: East Central running back Andrew Marble (2) sets up to pass during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: East Central running back Eli Smith (3) during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: Moss Point Ryan Smith (7) keeps the ball for short yardage during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports
The Hornets went on to take a commanding 24-0 lead at halftime on a field goal by Preston Robinson and never looked back. Robinson was also perfect on four extra point attempts.
Grey Bradley added a touchdown run for the Hornets in the third quarter.
Moss Point, which didn’t cross the ECHS 40-yard line until early in the fourth quarter, avoided the shutout with a scoring run late in the game by Lyntavius Feazell.
September 2, 2022: Moss Point Ryan Smith (7) carries the ball during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: East Central quarterback Tyler Tanner (6) is covered by Moss Point Cameron Reed (8) during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: East Central head coach Sam Huff talks to his team in a timeout during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 SportsSeptember 2, 2022: East Central guard Josh Weaver (4) runs up the sideline during the game between the East Central Hornets and Moss Point Tigers at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium in Moss Point, Mississippi on Friday night. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports
This Jackson County rivalry began in 2007, and Moss Point won the first six games. But since 2015, East Central has now registered eight consecutive wins to take an 8-6 lead in the series. Both teams hit the road next week, as Moss Point faces Vancleave while East Central meets South Pike.
Curtis Rockwell has almost three decades of experience at four different daily newspapers across South Mississippi, specializing in Sports and live music.
