Gridiron Pirates Conclude Season With Loss to Southern Miss
November 29, 2003 | Football
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- Dustin Almond made up for three interceptions with two touchdown runs and a TD pass to lead Southern Miss to a 38-21 victory over East Carolina on Saturday to clinch the Conference USA title.
The win by the Golden Eagles (9-3, 8-0) gave them the title outright and sewed up a berth in Liberty Bowl against Utah on Dec. 31.
Almond completed 11 of 24 passes for 208 yards and also carried the ball seven times for 34 yards. Anthony Harris also had 28 carries for 119 yards and a score.
A 42-yard pass from Almond to DaRon Lawrence in the second quarter moved the Golden Eagles to the East Carolina 28-yard line and opened up the offense.
Almond scored on a 14-yard run five plays later to push the Southern Miss lead to 9-0 with 4:24 left in the half. Almond tacked on another TD run less than two minutes later to make it 17-0.
The Pirates (1-11, 1-7) got within 24-14 in the third quarter when cornerback Erode Jean returned an interception 31 yards for the score. Paul Troth also had a 65-yard scoring pass to Damarcus Fox for East Carolina.
But Almond tossed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Young late in the third.
East Carolina recovered an onside kick after Vonta Leach's 1-yard touchdown plunge with 59 seconds remaining but John Eubanks intercepted a Troth pass and returned it 80 yards for the touchdown.
Coach John Thompson's Postgame Quotes:
"That was a tough day. So many times we were so close; so many times they would knock us out and think they had put it away and we would fight back and be in the game. This team has no quit in them. We kept battling and then we would make a critical mistake and they would capitalize. They made the big plays today and we didn't."
"We have to go to work starting today and get this team better."
"We continue to make the same mistakes as we have all year long. We work on them in practice and correct them, but then come out and make them again in the game. Whether it is focus or belief or confidence, we've got to get that done."
"Congratulations to Jeff Bower and Southern Miss. That's a championship football team we played."
"There isn't anywhere to go but up. There are a lot of warriors down there in our locker room that are ready to strap it back on Feb. 24 when we start this thing over again. We'll be a better football team. I don't think that anyone that has seen this team this year has any doubt that we're going to be a better football team next year."
On areas his program must now focus on:
"There's so many areas now that we can focus on. I'd go back and do some things differently, but there's a lot of things that had to be done [the way they were]. This season has been a tremendous challenge in every regard, but we held together. We must use this and go get better."
On the injury to starting quarterback James Pinkney:
"He rolled over on his knee, totally flipped it back over. He was in a lot of pain. You hate that for James. Hopefully it's not major. We probably won't know for a day or so."
On wide receiver Terrance Copper:
"They were doubling him today. Terrance handles his business in every way. He is a warrior and kept sticking with it."
On quarterback Paul Troth's performance today:
"He competed, threw some passes, and got us in the end zone. He stepped in there cold off the bench when he wasn't expected to and led the team."
