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MGCCC
Athletics
MGCCC 2008 Spring Athletic Banquet award winners
Instead of hats and uniforms, the student athletes from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College donned dresses and slacks for the annual Spring Athletics Banquet on April 21 in Perkinston. These students and their families were treated to dinner, entertainment and a special message from Dr. Chuck Benigno, Gulf Coast Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management.
“Always remember to attack life,” Benigno said. “Just like with a championship season, you can have a championship life by going after what you want instead of waiting for it to come to you.”
MGCCC Spring Athletic Award Banquet Winners
- Baseball
- “Mr. Hustle” (Danny Varnado) Award: Derrick Davis
- Most Improved: Trey Danzey, Jacob Daniel
- Men’s Basketball
- Offensive Award: Justin Ray
- Defensive Award: Luther Suggs
- Hustle Award: Tashawn Byron
- Most Valuable Player: Justin Ray
- Women’s Basketball
- Offensive/Defensive Award: Keaundra Augustus
- Leading Rebounder: Savannah Palomarez
- Highest Free Throw Percentage: Ja’Net Schonberg
- The Lady Bulldog Award: Andrea Woullard
- Golf
- Bulldog Award: Stone Thames
- Bark Award: Matt Hungerman
- Softball
- Best Defensive Player: Tiffany Brosh
- Heart of a Champion: Ashton Nelson
- Most Improved Player: Miranda Lamey
- Most Valuable Player: Danielle Ryan
- Men’s Tennis
- Most Valuable Player: Landon Williams
- Grand Slam Award: Matt Garman
- Sportsmanship: Glyn Bowman
- Most Improved Player: Miles Pennington
- Women’s Tennis
- Grand Slam Award: Katrina Little
- Sportsmanship: Brittany Nulta
- Most Improved Player: Shayla Bell
- Most Valuable Player: Aricia Jones
The “Bulldog Babes” batgirls, cheerleaders and athletic training staff were also recognized at the event. MGCCC celebrates perfect football season
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MGCCC’S Brandon Johnson, Demond Washington (standing), and Irvin Moore at the national football championship celebration April 19. |
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three-layer cake was part of the festivities as MGCCC celebrated its 2007 national football title April 19. |
It was fitting that a team that had a perfect season celebrated its championship season on a perfect day.
Clear skies and seasonal temperatures served as the ideal backdrop for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s April 19 celebration of the 2007 NJCAA National Co-Championship football team.
The event, held at Liaison, the home of Gulf Coast President Dr. Willis Lott, featured the 2008 Gulf Coast spring football scrimmage at A.L. May Stadium on the college’s Perkinston Campus, followed by the event at Liaison. The players, coaches and staff from the 2007 team received championship rings and were treated to dinner and entertainment. The national title is the fourth in the history of Gulf Coast football. The Bulldogs also won national titles in 1948, 1971, and 1984.
“I’ve had teams this talented before, but this team was unselfish and had a love for one another,” Campbell said. “It had a ton of special people. When you have special people, you can win championships.”
Gulf Coast also ended the 2007 campaign with a 12-0 record after pounding then 15th-ranked Kilgore College (Texas) 62-28 in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl in Copperas Cove, Texas. The Bulldogs also won their first Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges title since 1986 when they defeated Jones County Junior College (Miss.) 20-17 at the college’s Perkinston Campus.
During the celebration, Lott thanked and congratulated Campbell, his staff, and the returning players from the college’s 2007 NJCAA National Co-Championship football team, then issued them a challenge.
“Repeat.”
Don’t worry, that’s already on Campbell’s 2008 fall agenda. MGCCC Bulldogs support BALL Project
MGCCC football players with BALL Project founder Joe E. Garvin. |
In this 2007 undefeated season, the NJCAA national Champion 12-0 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Bulldogs are also making strides off the field.
After hearing about a program called the BALL Project, a ministry where balls, coats, and other sporting and recreation equipment is collected and distributed the needy children, families, and youth sports leagues, the Bulldogs decided to get into the act and help out. Within three days the football team raised more than $545 for the program.
“The guys were happy to help out with this outstanding program,” said Steve Davis, Gulf Coast assistant football coach. “We take pride in our character as well as our play at Gulf Coast, and this effort by our team only makes us prouder of what they accomplish every day on and off the field.”
The BALL Project has been in existence for the past seven years thanks to the efforts of Hattiesburg’s Joe E. Garvin.
“It is the firm conviction of the BALL Project that participation in college level sports adds greatly to the education and formation of young people,” Garvin said. “It is the goal of this project to encourage young people to pursue their hopes and dreams of playing sports at the small college/university level with some support to help them do so.”
Campbell earns Schutt 2007 Coach of the Year honors
Steve Campbell |
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College head football coach Steve Campbell has been named Schutt 2007 Coach of the Year by American Football Monthly magazine. In 2007, Campbell and the Bulldogs went 12-0 and were named NJCAA Co-National Champions and Co-National Champions in the JCGridiron.com poll. Gulf Coast also won its first MACJC state title since 1986, along with an MACJC South Division crown.
“It’s a fantastic honor,” said Campbell. “The credit is shared with our tremendous coaching staff and our players. Everyone stepped it up this season and performed at a high level.”
Campbell has compiled a 31-9 record in four seasons at Gulf Coast. In 2000, he led Delta State to the NCAA Division II National Championship.
Other Schutt Sports Coach of the Year honorees include University of Illinois head coach Ron Zook (Football Bowl Subdivision - formerly Division I-A), Northern Iowa’s Mark Farley (Football Championship Subdivison - formerly Division I-AA), David Dean of Division II National Champion Valdosta State, Lance Leipold of Division III National Champion Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Dale Clarkson of Ohio Dominican (NAIA).
Schutt Sports is a national leader in manufacturing football helmets and gear, and has been honoring head football coaches at all levels for more than a decade.
MGCCC Bulldogs 2007 NJCAA National Champions
Gulf Coast “finishes”, shares crown with Butler
MGCCC Bulldogs: 2007 National Champions |
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Kicker Sean Brauchle |
Defensive Lineman Terrance Cody |
Defensive Back Tremaine Brock |
Officially, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Butler County Community College (KS) are 2007 NJCAA Co-National Champions.
Considering that it looked like the undefeated 12-0 Bulldogs would be left out of the top spot a week ago, that result is just fine with Gulf Coast head coach Steve Campbell.
“We’re overjoyed,” said Campbell. “This group of kids deserves some type of national title, so I’m glad the NJCAA decided to make us co-champs with Butler. Both teams earned the right to be at the top. Of course, it would’ve been nice to have an outright champion, and we’d love to play Butler to settle this, but that’s not the way this particular system works.”
The national title is the fourth in the history of Gulf Coast football. The Bulldogs also won national titles in 1948, 1971, and 1984.
According to the NJCAA, the last time the NJCAA football title was spilt was in 1960 when Tyler Junior College (Texas) and Cameron State College (Okla.) were named Co-National Champions.
Butler capped off its 12-0 season on Dec. 1 when they defeated previous No. 1 Snow College (Utah) 56-27 in the Zions Bank Top of the Mountain Bowl in Salt Lake City, Utah. The 2007 season also marked Butler's seventh consecutive Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference title when they defeated Ft. Scott Community College 35-22 on Nov. 11.
The 2007 national title is the fifth for the Grizzly football program, which claimed the national title in 1981, 98, 99 and 03.
Gulf Coast also ended the season with a 12-0 record after they pounded then 15th-ranked Kilgore College (Texas) 62-28 in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl on Dec. 1 in Copperas Cove, Tx. The Bulldogs also won their first Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges title since 1986 when they defeated Jones County Junior College (Miss.) 20-17 back on Nov. 10 at the college’s Perkinston Campus.
In 2007, Gulf Coast played and defeated ranked teams six times, including a Sept. 13 win over Pearl River, two wins over Northwest on Oct. 11 and Nov. 3, and two wins over Jones on Oct. 20 and Nov. 10. Both wins over Jones occurred when the Bobcats were a top 10 team. In comparison, Butler played and defeated ranked teams five times in 2007, including its bowl victory over Snow Dec. 1.
On Sunday, the Bulldogs found out they are also Co-National Champions with Butler in the JCGridiron.com poll.
For Steve Campbell, the good news wraps up his first-ever perfect season as a head coach, and the national title is the second in his career. In 200, he led Delta State to the NCAA Division II National Championship.
“It’s a great feeling,” Campbell said. “Everyone here should be proud; from the coaches, to the players, to the fans, and the people of South Mississippi. This season, our motto all along has been to ‘finish.’ We kept telling the kids, if we finish each play of each game, things will work out. It’s a great group of guys. We have outstanding leadership from some great sophomores. We had some freshmen come in and gel together with them to form a very unselfish group.”
The 2007 Bulldogs also set several college records. Gulf Coast outscored its opponents 440-167, with the 440 total being the most in college history. The 2007 sophomore class went 19-2, which is the best winning percentage for a class since 1986. That class also never lost a home game, going a perfect 11-0 at A.L. May Memorial Stadium, and it finished ranked in the NJCAA top ten twice.
The NJCAA also announced its 2007 All-American squad, with three Gulf Coast players, Terrance Cody, Sean Brauchle, and Tremaine Brock earning First-Team honors.
Six-foot-five, 385 pound defensive lineman Terrance Cody was also a JC Grid-Wire.com First-Team All-American, and the MACJC South Division Most Valuable Player. Cody anchored the Bulldog defense that ranked number one in the state in rushing defense and total defense.
Brauchle, a freshman kicker from Biloxi, is a JC Grid-Wire.com First Team All-American, and he was selected MACJC Special Teams Player of the Week twice in 2007, along with earning MACJC All-State honors. He also booted three field goals of over 50 yards, including a college record-tying 52-yarder against Northwest Oct. 11, and went 19 of 25 from the field and scored 89 points.
Brock, a defensive back from Gautier, intercepted seven passes in 2007, and was named MACJC Defensive Player of The Week en route to earning JC Grid-Wire.com third-team All-American honors.
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No. 3 MGCCC pounds Kilgore 62-28 at H.O.T. Bowl
Copperas Cove, TX. - Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College was hoping to make an argument that they deserve to be the No. 1 team in the NJCAA. The No. 3 ranked Bulldogs did that, and then some, with a 62-28 demolition of Kilgore (Tx.) College in the 2007 C.H.A.M.P.S Heart of Texas Bowl Dec. 1 in Copperas Cove, Tx.
Gulf Coast (12-0) jumped out to a 14-0 lead on Kilgore (8-4) and rode a four touchdown performance by running back Demond Washington and 550 yards of offense to the victory and the college's first undefeated season since 1984.
"It was a total team victory," said head coach Steve Campbell. "The guys did what they've been doing all year long."
Now Campbell, his team, and Bulldog fans are hoping Gulf Coast moves up in the next NJCAA poll. No. 1 Snow College (Utah) lost 56-27 to No. 2 ranked Butler, giving more fuel to the Bulldogs argument that they should be NJCAA National Champions.
"Butler beat Kilgore by one point this season," Campbell said. "We beat them by 34. If Butler wants to call themselves national champs that's fine, but I don't think so. I think we deserve as much consideration as they do."
The Bulldogs took their first offensive series 67 yards for the game's first touchdown, a 1-yard TD plunge by Trey Hopson. Gulf Coast extended its lead to 14-0 when linebacker Jeremy Evans scooped up a fumble and raced 20 yards for a score with 7:02 to go in the first quarter.
Kilgore got on the board early in the second quarter with a 27-yard TD pass from wide receiver T.J. Scranton to Cortez Smith. Jamal Young took the ensuing kickoff into Kilgore territory, which led to a 10-yard TD run by Washington, making it 21-7 Gulf Coast with 12:07 to go in the first half.
The Bulldogs took a 31-14 lead into the locker room after a 27-yard field goal by Sean Brauchle, and a 1-yard touchdown run by 6-foot-5, 385 pound defensive lineman Terrance Cody. The sophomore from Fort Myers, Fla. has made a verbal commitment to the University of Alabama.
"Scoring in a big game like this is always fun," said Cody. "We've been on it all week, and we went out there and shut them down. We made a big statement today. The scoreboard doesn't lie."
Kilgore cut the lead to 31-21 in the third quarter on a 3-yard TD run by Cornelius Shackleford.
That's when Demond Washington took over.
The freshman from Tallassee, Ala. Scored on a 32-yard run, then he took a punt 67 yards for another score making it 45-21 Gulf Coast with seven minutes to go in the third quarter. Washington finished the game with 209 yards rushing, and 349 total yards.
A Kilgore TD pass was then answered by Gulf Coast with a Brauchle 44-yard field goal, a 49-yard TD pass from Genario McNealy to Jarvis Kitchen, and a Washington 69-yard run.
"We came out focused today," said McNealy. "We wanted to prove that we should've been playing someone else. We really are number one."
But will Gulf Coast be number one when all is said and done?
"This is the first perfect season I've had," Campbell said. "I've been with two national championship teams, but never an undefeated team. The ones where you lose a game, your national champs, but you go undefeated, and get nothing? That doesn't add up."
MGCCC Bulldogs ready for H.O.T. Bowl
Copperas Cove, Tx. - Other than getting ready to play Kilgore (Tx.) College in the C.H.A.M.P.S Heart of Texas Bowl, it's been a fairly uneventful road trip for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Bulldogs. The highlights of their stay in Copperas Cove, Texas include visits to the nearby Wal-Mart, and lots of use out of a Sony PlayStation unit owned by one of the players.
"We're ready to get out and play and knock some of this rust off," said Bulldogs head coach Steve Campbell. "We've been practicing a lot, but we haven't played in three weeks."
Gulf Coast (11-0, No. 3 in the NJCAA poll) is hoping to defeat Kilgore (8-3) Saturday at 2 p.m. for the college's first perfect season since 1984, when Gulf Coast earned one of its three national titles. This season Gulf Coast is ranked behind No. 1 Snow College (Utah) and No. 2 Butler (Kansas) Community College. Those two teams will battle for the NJCAA National Title Saturday in Utah.
The Bulldogs hope a statement win over Kilgore will further strengthen their argument that they deserve National Championship consideration.
"We can only control what we do," said Bulldogs quarterback Genario McNealy. "If we lose this one, all the other stuff won't matter anyway."
In 2007, Gulf Coast played and defeated ranked teams six times, including a Sept. 13 win over Pearl River, two wins over Northwest on Oct. 11 and Nov. 3, and two wins over Jones on Oct. 20 and Nov. 10. Both wins over Jones occurred when the Bobcats were a top 10 team. In comparison, Butler played and defeated ranked teams four times in 2007, and Snow only played and defeated ranked teams three times.
Meanwhile, Campbell, who's in his fourth season as the Bulldogs head coach, is happy to be away from home as his name continues to be mentioned as a possible candidate for the vacant Southern Miss head coaching job.
"My cell phone is off," he said. "We've got business to take care of here in Texas."
Fans can listen to all the action on 91.7 FM WAOY, and via streaming audio at www.mgccc.edu.
No. 3 MGCCC to play Kilgore College in C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl
Never mind complaining about the NCAA'S Bowl Championship Series. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College head football coach Steve Campbell would rather voice his displeasure on how the NJCAA'S post-season set up is keeping his 11-0 Bulldogs out off a spot in the league's title game. Gulf Coast is ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA poll, ten points behind top-ranked Snow College (Utah), and six points behind No. 2 Butler Community College (Kansas). Both Gulf Coast and Butler each have a first place vote, yet Butler will take on Snow Dec. 1 for the national crown instead of the Bulldogs. Gulf Coast has to settle for a battle with No. 9 Kilgore College (Tx.) in the C.H.A.M.P.S Heart of Texas Bowl Dec. 1 in Copperas Cove, Tx. "If you look at our overall body of work, there's no doubt we should be in the title game," said Campbell. "We've played and beaten more ranked teams than anyone in the poll. That's got to count for something."
In 2007, Gulf Coast played and defeated ranked teams six times, including a Sept. 13 win over Pearl River, two wins over Northwest on Oct. 11 and Nov. 3, and two wins over Jones on Oct. 20 and Nov. 10. Both wins over Jones occurred when the Bobcats were a top 10 team. In comparison, Butler played and defeated ranked teams four times in 2007, and Snow only played and defeated ranked teams three times.
"Although we think we're getting a raw deal, we still have to go and play football," Campbell said. "If we can beat Kilgore in the bowl game, then our argument for being No. 1 only gets stronger. None of this means anything if we don't continue to take care of business on the field."
In 2006, Gulf Coast went 7-2 and spent most of the season ranked in the NJCAA top ten. However, the Bulldogs did not receive any bowl invitations.
Kilgore College (8-3) enters the post-season with an 8-3 record. The Rangers are coming off a 56-28 loss to Navarro College (Tx.) in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference Championship Nov. 10.
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