FULTON, Miss. – Twelve Itawamba Community College football players earned North Division honors when the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference announced its All Conference teams.
Linebacker Orel Gray, wide receiver Nate Branch and offensive lineman Amar Harper were named to the first team. Gray, from Jacksonville, Fla., led the ICC with 48 saves and tied his career high with 10 stops in the road win over Holmes. He also earned MACCC and NJCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Week honors twice this season.
Branch totaled 482 receiving yards and a team-best nine touchdowns. The Hopkins, S.C., native had a breakout performance in the comeback win over No. 12 East Mississippi, scoring twice and averaging 20.3 yards per catch.
Harper has anchored the Indians offense all season. The Magee native entered the year as a JCGridiron Preseason All American Second Team selection.
Five players earned second-team honors. Return specialist Marcellus Jackson, a native of Fulton, Tenn., totaled 276 return yards and averaged 18.4 yards per return, highlighted by a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Pearl River.
Kicker Eli Burciaga capped his ICC career with 27 extra points and seven field goals, including a long 48-yarder against East Mississippi. The Corinth native is a two-time MACCC and NJCAA Division I Special Teams Player of the Week award.
Defensive lineman Jarquez Perry finished second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and totaled 23 tackles as a freshman. Defensive back Nick Sherman of Tuscaloosa, Alabama had 24 tackles, one sack and two interceptions.
The ICC placed seven players on the Honorable Mention List. Quarterback Deljay Bailey completed 68.6 percent of his passes for 1,653 yards and had an 85.7 completion percentage with three touchdowns in the Indians’ Homecoming win over Coahoma.
Tight end Bryce Chrestman earned credit for his blocking contributions. Jackson also made the list as a wide receiver after leading the ICC with 581 receiving yards and averaging 64.6 yards per game. Recorded a career-high 140 receiving yards, including a 38-yard touchdown, in a road win over East Central.
Offensive lineman Barrett Maddox of Clinton, Tenn., bolstered the ICC front and entered the year as a JCGridiron Preseason All American Fourth Team selection. Defensive lineman Kole Caldwell finished with 26 tackles, including 1.5 sacks and four tackles for loss, and had a career-best seven tackles and one sack against Northeast.
Defensive back Tahj McBride led the ICC with three catches, including a 72-yard pick six at Mississippi Delta. The Nettleton native added four pass breakups and 19 tackles. Gray also earned honorable mention as a defensive back after recording three pass breakups and an interception to help secure the win at East Central.
The ICC finished the season 5-4 overall with a 4-2 record in North Division play.
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