EMCC’s Bates, Stamps Named MACJC Players of the Week

SCOOBA, Miss. (WCBI/EMCC Athletics) – While moving up three notches as a team to No. 5 nationally in this week’s NJCAA Top 20 football poll, East Mississippi Community College also received some individual recognition Tuesday as a result of last week’s season-opening victory at Pearl River.

(EMCC Athletics)
Former Louisville High standout CJ Bates broke onto the scene in his first game at EMCC last Thursday and was named MACJC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance.

For their efforts during last Thursday’s 49-6 win in Poplarville, EMCC’s A.J. Stamps and C.J. Bates have been accorded MACJC/jucoweekly.org Player of the Week honors on defense and special teams, respectively.

Stamps, a converted wide receiver making his collegiate defensive debut at cornerback, had a pair of interceptions against the Wildcats, including an official 100-yard interception return for a touchdown that was picked off three yards into the end zone.  To open the game a week ago, the former Vicksburg High School standout ended Pearl River’s initial possession of the game by picking off Will Gross’ pass and returning it 19 yards.  Stamps, who had nine total receptions for 73 yards as a freshman receiver last season for the 8-2 EMCC Lions, was also credited with three unassisted tackles in last week’s opener.

Though awarded for his special teams play, Bates also made an impact offensively for the Lions against Pearl River.  The freshman wide receiver accounted for 178 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns during EMCC’s opener on four punt returns for 100 yards and four receptions for 78 yards.  Bates, out of Louisville High School, scored his pair of touchdowns on a 60-yard scoring catch early in the second quarter and later on a 62-yard punt return to the end zone late in the third period.

EMCC’s football games this season will be broadcast live by WFCA-FM (107.9), out of French Camp, with Jason Crowder and Glen Beard set to describe the play-by-play action, and John Lyle Briggs serving as the Lions’ sideline reporter.  EMCC’s 2013 football radio broadcasts are also slated to be carried live by Meridian’s WKZB-FM (95.1).

Throughout the season, EMCC’s weekly live video-streamed football broadcasts (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/emcc-football) will be available in HD by accessing EMCC’s athletics website, www.EMCCAthletics.com.  An alternate audio stream of the radio broadcast will also be available at www.wfcafm108.com.  For the second consecutive week to open the 2013 campaign, the Lions’ Thursday home opener against East Central (7 p.m.) will be the featured JUCO Weekly MACJC Football Game of the Week.