MCC Track Continues Success in Birmingham

Birmingham - MCC was back on the track Sunday as they competed at the KMS Invitational at the Birmingham CrossPlex.

MCC picked right back up where they left off two weeks ago and saw both the men's and women's team combine for seven top ten finishes, including a victory in the men's distance medley relay.

"Today was a great day for us after a good break from competition and coming in a little more fresh," said Head Coach Chip Gayden. "We continue to improve week to week and we continue to add NJCAA qualifiers for the national meet."

MCC's men's team got off on the right foot with the men's distance medley relay of Tim Hoodlebrink, James Burnett, Kobey Hill and Rogelio Araiza opening the day with a victory by leading wire to wire and running 10:26.52.

The men's team then saw Stephan Holcombe make his season debut in the 400 meters with a NJCAA qualifying time of 48.66. Noah Smith barely missed qualifying for the 800 meters with a time of 1:58.24 to finish 14th.

In the field events, Marrel Parker punched his ticket to the national meet with a sixth place finish in the long jump with a mark of 7.01 meters. In the triple jump R'darious Edwards finished seventh in the event with a mark of 14.17 meters.

On the women's side, MCC was led by Ashley Henderson in the 60 meters and Shaliyah Dixon-Tucker in the 60 meter hurdles. Henderson posted a third place finish in the 60 meters with a personal best time of 6.52. Henderson's time currently ranks her fifth in the NJCAA.  In the 60 meter hurdles, Dixon-Tucker made her season debut in the event posting a time of 6.77 in the finals to finish third and also qualify for the national championship meet.

Next up for MCC is the South Alabama Invtiational at the Birmingham CrossPlex next Sunday.

MCC Basketball Drops Pair to Co-Lin

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College basketball squads closed out its three-game home stand on Thursday night at the Graham Gymnasium by playing host to Co-Lin Community College. MCC didn’t find any luck on Thursday night by falling in women’s action by a final score of 76-70 and the MCC men also dropped its game to Co-Lin by a final count of 73-68. The MCC women are now 8-7 overall and 2-4 in conference action after the loss to the Lady Wolves, while the MCC men are now 2-12 overall and 0-6 in league play. MCC will return to action on Monday night by travelling to Ellisville to battle Jones County Junior College. The women will play at 5:30 p.m. and the men will follow at 7:30 p.m.

The MCC women were able to hang tough for most of the game on Thursday night against Co-Lin, but fell short by a final of 76-70. Freshman Mary Maxwell led MCC in scoring with 18 points, while former Meridian High star Kashari Gordon finished the game with 14 points. Sophomore Takerri Cooks also had a solid game for the Lady Eagles with 11 points and Andriel Moss ended the night with eight points off the bench for the home team.

The MCC men held a 35-26 lead at halftime, but couldn’t close things out against Co-Lin to fall by a five-point margin. MCC did have a great offensive performance from sophomore DJ Mitchell who finished the game with 19 points, while Timothy Patton had 15 points off the bench. Mike Woodard ended the game with 10 points and Johnny Knox was able to chip in with nine points for the Eagles.

MCC Basketball Falls to Hinds

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College basketball squads continued its current three-game home stand on Monday night by playing host to MACJC South Division foe Hinds Community College at the Graham Gymnasium. The Lady Eagles dropped a 65-41 loss at the hands of the Lady Bulldogs, while the MCC men lost in the second game of the evening to Hinds by a final count of 76-62. The MCC women are now 8-6 overall for the season and 2-3 in conference play, while the MCC men dropped their overall record to 2-11 and 0-5 in conference action. MCC will return to the court to close out its current three-game home stand on Thursday night by playing host to Co-Lin Community College at the Graham Gymnasium. The MCC women will play its scheduled game at 5:30 p.m. and the MCC men will follow with its game at 7:30 p.m.

The Lady Eagles opened play on Monday night against the Lady Bulldogs by holding a 15-12 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the second period of the game would prove to be the downfall for MCC. Hinds outscored the Lady Eagles 19-2 in the second quarter and cruised to a 65-41 victory. Qiayon Bailey was the only MCC player to reach double figures in scoring on Monday night with 12 points.

The MCC men also experienced a run of bad luck in the second half on Monday night and lost to Hinds by a final score of 76-62. The Eagles carried a 39-33 lead into the second half of play, but Hinds went on a 19-2 run to open the second half which would carry the road team to the win. Freshman Jacques Belford led MCC in scoring with 14 points, while former Southeast Lauderdale star Johnny Knox ended the game with 12 points. Sophomore Ralphael Shaw also turned in a solid performance for the Eagles with 11 points in the loss to Hinds.  

MCC Basketball Splits Home Set With Gulf Coast

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College basketball squads returned to the Graham Gymnasium on Thursday night to open a three-game home set against Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The Lady Eagles were able to prevail in their scheduled contest against Gulf Coast by a final of 71-59, while the MCC men dropped a tough 90-83 decision at the hands of the Bulldogs. The MCC women improved to 8-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play with the victory, while the MCC men dropped to 2-10 overall and 0-4 in league play. MCC will return to action this Monday night with a home doubleheader against Hinds Community College at the Graham Gymnasium. The women will take to the floor at 5:30 p.m. and the men will follow with their scheduled game at 7:30 p.m.

The MCC women never trailed in its South Division showdown with Gulf Coast on Thursday night at the Graham Gymnasium and came away with a 71-59 victory. The win for the Lady Eagles also steered the ship back in the right direction by snapping a three-game losing streak. Freshman Mary Maxwell and Sophomore Rashonae Rice each led the way in scoring for the Lady Eagles with 12 points apiece. Former Meridian High star Kashari Gordon also chipped in with 10 points and Halethe Jones added nine points off the bench for MCC.

The MCC men fought hard in the closing two minutes of action in the final game of the night against Gulf Coast, but fell short by a final of 90-83. Sophomore DJ Mitchell led MCC in scoring with 24 points, while former Southeast Lauderdale stare Johnny Knox poured in 20 points in the seven-point loss for the Eagles.

MCC Led By National Leaders And School Records

Birmingham, AL – MCC was back on the track last Saturday at the UAB Vulcan Invitational at the Birmingham Crossplex, where both teams posted school records and national leaders in their second meet of the 2017 campaign.

“We had a great meet at UAB and saw a lot of improvement from last week at LSU,” said Head Coach Chip Gayden.  “On both sides we wanted to see some strong performances and we had that.  It is our job now to continue on improving so we are ready to go when the championship season starts.”

MCC was led on the men’s side by Tim Hoodlebrink and Kobey Hill in the 800 meters who posted second place and fourth place finishes in the event with times of 1:55.35 and 1:57.96 to qualify for the NJCAA National Championships.  Hoodlebrink’s time was good enough for the  top time in the NJCAA and was .22 off the school record set by Saeed Basweidan in 1996.

In the 400 meters, James Burnett showed a strong performance in his season opener in the event with a fourth place finish in a time of 48.32.  Burnett’s time was good enough to place him fourth in the NJCAA and to also break the school record set by Dontarian Evans in 2016.

The men’s team also saw success in the 200 meters with Devarius Turner finishing 11^th in the event with a time of 22.08.  In the 3000 meters, Rogelio Araiza and Micah Britton posted sixth and seventh place finishes with times of 9:01.24 and 9:02.00.

MCC would qualify two relays for the NJCAA National Championships as the 4x400m relay team of Andre Burrell, Rogay Granston, James Burnett and Kobey Hill would go on to finish sixth in the event with a time of 3:18.24.  The 4x400m relay team currently ranks fifth in the NJCAA.  MCC would also qualify to defend their 4x800m national championship with a composite time of 7:56.00.

The women’s team was led by Ashley Henderson in the 200 meters.  Henderson, making here season debut in the event, picked up right where she left off last season after finishing second in the event indoors.  Henderson posted a personal best 24.17 to win the event over a studded field that included several professionals.  Henderson’s time was good enough to rank her first in the NJCAA in the event and also break her school record in the event. 

After two meets this season, MCC’s men’s squad has qualified five individuals for the NJCAA National Championships to go along with three relays.  The men’s team currently has 11 individuals ranked in the top 15 of their events and all three relays are ranked in the top five.  On the women’s side, MCC has qualified two individuals for the NJCAA National Championships

Next up for MCC is the KMS Invitational on Sunday, January 29^th at the Birmingham Crossplex.