Box Score BOONEVILLE — What difference a couple of mistakes make. 

Touchdowns following a recovery of a fumbled punt return and an interception returned for a score proved to be the difference as the Northeast Community College Tigers outlasted the Coahoma Community College Tigers 49-35 in a game that saw productive numbers from both quarterbacks.

Coahoma's Mickey Ridley, Jr. had his best game halfway into the season picking up 391 total yards going 19 of 31 for 324 yards and three touchdowns.  But, one of his two interceptions returned for a TD put Northeast ahead for good midway into the third quarter.

While NECC quarterback Brett Thompson, who was sacked three times by the CCC Tiger defense, completed 16 of 28 passes for 225 yards and accounted for nearly half of the home team's 481 total yards before a homecoming crowd.

Coahoma wasted little time letting Northeast fans know that the visitors from the Delta came to play. Taking the opening kickoff at its own 23, CCC picked up five first downs on a 13-play drive before Ridley handed off to Christian Williams going off tackle for a 3-yard touchdown run. On the drive, it appeared that Ridley would be sacked for a 12-yard loss on his own 20-yard line, but he scrambled out of the grasp of two tacklers to complete a 22-yard pass to Marcel Williams into NECC territory.

Christian Williams led all rushers with 74 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

Northeast came right back on the kickoff for their own opening series on a 75-yard, eight-play drive capped by a Thompson to Donta Armstrong 47-yard pass with six minutes left in the quarter.
The teams would trade punts before NE took over at its own 26 following a missed Coahoma field goal.  On the eleventh play of the drive Thompson found LaVontis Smith for a 20-yard completion to the CCC six-inch line where Matthew Belue punched the ball in for the score.

But, Coahoma came right back.  Ridley completed passes to Kshun Evans for 19, Damico Ewing for 16 and then another 10 before Christian Williams picked up his second score of the game carrying the ball in from the one.

The Coahoma defense tightened up following the kick-off, allowing Northeast just 7 yards helped by sacks from Quartez Roby and Terrance Thigpen.
But a fumbled fair catch on the punt after the defensive stand at the Coahoma 40 gave the ball back to NECC.  This turnover would prove to be the dagger, as it would be followed by a 14-point swing in Northeast's favor.

Thompson threw to Armstrong for 16, and then on what seemed to be a reverse to wide receiver LaVontis Smith, the WR pulled up short of the line of scrimmage threw the ball to Joe Horn alone in the end zone to complete a 24-yard scoring play.

Northeast scored again to open the second half on a 21-yard Thompson to Horn pass. The hometown Tigers would all but close the barn door when NE's Brady Smith intercepted a Ridley pass two plays after the kickoff and returned it for a 33-yard touchdown and a 35-14 lead.

While Coahoma would score three more times, those two consecutive touchdowns following turnovers upset the touchdown-for-touchdown rhythm of the game.

Coahoma's final scoring plays came on passes of 33 yards from Ridley to Evans, a 52-yard Ridley to Ewing pass, and another Ridley to Evans completion for four yards.
Ewing ended the game with 120 yards on seven receptions, and Evans had 113 yards on 6 catches.

Northeast moved to 2-4 on the season, while the Tigers remained winless.

The Coahoma Tigers will be looking for their first win of the season Saturday in a 1 p.m. Homecoming game against Itawamba. The Indians are coming off a 51-0 loss to the nation's top team East Mississippi.