Bulldogs remain playoffs driver's seat with win over East Miss.

GOODMAN --- The Holmes Community College Bulldogs got past the No. 8-ranked East Mississippi Community College Lions, 49-42, to remain at the top of the North Division standings.

With the win, the Bulldogs went to 3-4 overall and 3-1 in the North Division. Holmes travels to Mississippi Delta next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in another North Division tilt. It was the Bulldogs' first win over East Mississippi since the 2005 season when Holmes won 19-14.

East Mississippi got on the scoreboard once in the first quarter and again early in the second to go up 14-0. Both scores were rushing touchdowns.

In just a little over two minutes later, the Bulldogs got their first points of the game when freshman quarterback Kyren Batey connected with sophomore wide receiver Caleb Ducking from 29 yards out with 12:51 left in the second quarter. Sophomore kicker Easton Curry's extra point made it 14-7 in favor of East Mississippi.

Freshman fullback Devontaye Bankston scored from two yards out with 4:09 left to play in the second quarter to tie the game at 14 after Curry's extra point was good.

The Lions scored again late in the first half on a rushing touchdown. The extra point was good giving East Mississippi a 21-14 lead at halftime.

Holmes scored early in the third quarter when Terry Bryant broke free on a 44-yard touchdown run. Curry's extra point tied the game at 21 with 12:29 left in the third.

The Bulldogs then went up 28-21 when sophomore running back Dylan Kelly scored from eight yards out. Curry's extra point was good with 5:23 left in the third.

East Mississippi tied it back up with 2:40 to play in the third on a touchdown pass. The extra point was good.

Bryant added his second touchdown of the game with 12:49 left when he scored from six yards out. Curry's kick made it 35-28.

East Mississippi answered the score with 8:01 left in the game on another passing touchdown. The extra point tied the game at 35.

Holmes then scored twice to just out to a 49-35 lead. The first score came when Martavius Dill broke free and raced down the home sidelines from 66 yards out. The other score came two minutes later when Kelly picked up his second score of the night when he raced down the opponents sideline from 50 yards out. Curry's extra points were good.

East's final score came on another passing touchdown. The extra point was good to round out the scoring at 49-42.

Holmes racked up 420 yards on the ground including Kelly's 118 on 10 carries. Bryant had 88 yards on 13 carries, and Dill had 81 yards on two carries. The Bulldogs were 3-of-6 passing on the night. Ducking caught two passes for 44 yards while Kelly had one catch for 21 yards.

Sophomore linebacker Tyler Taylor led the Bulldogs with 12 tackles. Saidrick Pewitte and Tyler McDaniel each had seven tackles while Devlin Kirklin, Niageria young and Charles Jefferson had six each. Holmes finished the game with two sacks and four tackles for loss.