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No. 13 Bulldogs clinch share of South title

No. 13 Bulldogs clinch share of South title

PHOTO BY KERRY BASS/MGCCC

PERKINSTON — No. 13 Mississippi Gulf Coast clinched a share of the MACCC South title at Homecoming on Saturday, blasting Southwest Mississippi 52-6 at A.L. May Memorial Stadium.

"Three in a row," Gulf Coast coach Jack Wright said. "Three championships in a row, so I'm proud of where the program is at. There was great effort by the players throughout our nine games. That's the one thing that stands out if you try to take a snapshot of the season is the effort. I really admire them for it."

The Bulldogs (7-2, 5-1 South) rolled up 524 yards of total offense behind a pair of 100-yard rushers. Micah McGowan (So., Petal/Petal) and Keymari Odum (Fr., Haines City Fla./Ridge) helped the Bulldogs roll to 352 yards on the ground.

The Bears (3-6, 1-5) managed only 193 total yards and got 72 of those on a single play, a second-quarter touchdown pass-and-run. The Regulators allowed only nine first downs, and on the other 52 plays gave up an average of 2.3 yards.

Gulf Coast ran 84 plays and punted only twice.

"The ability to really establish the run like we want to was big," Wright said. "We came out wanting to be multiple and spread the ball around, and we did that. We were able to do it because we were always able to come back to the run game."

Austin Davidson (So., Meridian/West Lauderdale) completed 23-of-35 passes for 205 yards and four touchdowns. He was elusive under a Southwest defense that sold out to generate pressure.

Nine different Bulldogs caught passes, with K.T. Hicks (So., Petal/Petal), Travis Crum (Fr., Daphne Ala./Daphne), Jalen Bracey (So., Jackson/Murrah) and Rico Dorsey (Fr., Hattiesburg/Presbyterian Christian) caught touchdown passes. Hicks led the team in receptions (6) and receiving yards (59).

McGowan ran 19 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns, and Odum piled up 127 yards on 13 carries with one score. 

"It felt good," Odum said. "The O-line kept giving me options with holes to hit. They opened everything, so it was easy."

Gulf Coast says goodbye to an outstanding class that only lost three games. That even goes for the seven Bulldogs who played three years with the extra eligibility granted because of COVID.

"There some guys who have been here three years who have only lost three games," Wright said. "That tells you a lot about their talent, their character and their ability to work to persevere through some things. We make it tough on our guys. I'm proud of those third-year guys, and I'm proud of the second-year guys who will be moving on, too."

The seven Super Sophomores are Jae'Vien Gill (So., Philadelphia/Neshoba Central), Hydee Barlow (So., Forest/Scott Central), C.J. Williams (So., Taylorsville/Taylorsville), Jace McCoy (So., Summit/North Pike), Mike Smith (So., Flora/Ridgeland), Jalen Bracey (So., Jackson/Murrah) and Jimmy Bennett (So., Clinton/Clinton). 

They were part of three South championships, and state and national titles in 2019.

"It's been three good years," said Smith, who had an interception in his final game at Perk. "I've played with some amazing teammates. I've just built a lot of memories I'll never forget. I wouldn't trade these three years for anything in the world."

For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.