Missed opportunities cost Coahoma Community College during its home opener against Itawamba Community College Saturday afternoon, but the Tigers still had an opportunity to win the game going into the final minute.
Trailing by five, CCC (1-2) moved the ball toward midfield in the final minute, but Itawamba Community College intercepted freshman quarterback Bryce Wallace at the Tigers 49. The Indians took a knee, as the Tigers did not have any timeouts left, to secure the 19-14 victory.
CCC won at Itawamba earlier in the season 37-23.
"The times we had a chance to take the game over we just did not make the plays, we played hard but we did not finish at all," said Tigers coach Travis Macon in the game report on CCC’s website.
CCC had opportunities throughout the game to score.
Neither team scored during the fourth quarter, but the Tigers created three turnovers during the period.
Freshman Alfred Jordan Jr. intercepted a pass with 14:19 remaining, but CCC could not take advantage.
Freshman Marion Windham recovered a fumble at the Indians 32-yard-line with 10:26 remaining in the fourth quarter, but penalties halted CCC’s scoring opportunity.
Freshman Brandon Dean recovered another fumble with more than six minutes to play at the Itawamba 16. Wallace attempted to complete a pass to freshman Von Hill in the end zone, but Hill bobbled the ball and the Indians intercepted the pass.
CCC trailed 19-7 at halftime, but got back into the game on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Wallace to Hill on a third down play with 5:37 remaining in the third quarter. Freshman Noah Sisk connected on the PAT to cut Itawamba’s lead to 19-14.
All three of Itawamba’s touchdowns came during the first half.
The first Indians score was on a 50-yard play on the game’s opening drive with 12:59 remaining in the first quarter. That gave Itawamba a 7-0 lead.
CCC was moving the ball down field, but Itawamba intercepted a Wallace pass at the Indians 10 with 4:42 remaining in the opening quarter.
Two plays later, CCC got the ball back on a forced fumble.
Freshman Allen Robertson forced the fumble with freshman Zacchaeus Burnett recovering the ball at the Itawamba 21.
Sophomore Jacobi Jackson ran the first play of the ensuing drive 13 yards to the Itawamba .
Itawamba penalties kept the drive alive.
Jackson scored on a screen pass from Wallace with 50 seconds remaining in the quarter from four yards out with Sisk connecting on the PAT to tie things up at 7-7.
A 35-yard touchdown run with 11:59 remaining in the first half gave Itawamba a 13-7 lead.
Sophomore defensive back Kasimir Absolu intercepted a pass for CCC at the Tigers 20 with 10:47 remaining in the first half, but they could not capitalize.
Itawamba extended its lead to 19-7 on an 82-yard touchdown pass with 7:30 remaining in the first half.
CCC had an opportunity to score late in the first half as Wallace completed a 37-yard pass to freshman Charles Yates. That gave the Tigers possession at the Indians 3-yard-line.
CCC only had time for two more plays in the first half, but could not get the ball into the end zone.
CCC will visit Senatobia to play Northwest Mississippi Community College at 7 p.m. Oct. 29.
