Hinds Football Rolls Past East Central 52-28 on Sophomore Night
RAYMOND, Miss. — The Hinds Community College football team defeated East Central 52-28 Thursday night at Gene Murphy Field at Joe Renfroe Stadium. The Eagles jumped to a 21-0 lead after the first quarter and maintained control throughout the game, according to school officials.
Hinds finished with 494 yards of total offense, including 303 passing yards and 191 rushing yards. The team converted 8 of 12 third-down attempts. Quarterback Jaylon Ruffin completed 27 of 33 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns. He also added 82 rushing yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, officials said.
The Eagles scored first with 9:15 left in the first quarter on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Ruffin to Demar Gardner. Less than three minutes later, Brandon Brooks intercepted an East Central pass, setting up an 18-yard scoring strike from Ruffin to De’traun Brown. Hinds capped the opening quarter with an 85-yard drive, ending with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Ruffin to Christian Hubbard with 56 seconds remaining.
East Central responded with a touchdown early in the second quarter, but Hinds answered with an 82-yard drive that ended with Ruffin rushing for a 12-yard score. After another interception by Jeremiah Nave, Ruffin connected with Gardner for a 20-yard touchdown pass, giving the Eagles a 35-7 halftime lead, according to reports.
In the second half, Hinds continued its offensive surge. Ruffin scored from four yards out to extend the lead to 42-14. East Central scored a touchdown, but Anthony Loftin responded with a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, restoring Hinds’ advantage to 49-21. The Warriors added a late third-quarter touchdown, but Hinds’s defense held East Central scoreless in the fourth quarter. Braylen Spann capped the game with a 24-yard field goal, closing out the scoring, officials said.
Gardner led the team with five receptions for 50 yards and two touchdowns. Others contributing included Kiandre Terry with four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown, and Brown with two catches for 51 yards and a score. Ruffin led the rushing effort with 82 yards and two touchdowns, while defensively, Shiloh Johnson-Hewitt recorded seven tackles. Brandon Brooks and Jeremiah Nave each intercepted passes, and the team finished with two sacks and six tackles for loss.
Special teams played a key role, with Loftin’s 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown providing a momentum shift. Spann was perfect on extra points, going 7-for-7, and also made a 24-yard field goal. Hinds held the ball for nearly 33 minutes and finished with 29 first downs. The team looks ahead to its next game against Mississippi Delta College on October 1 in Moorhead, scheduled for 7 p.m., according to school officials.
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