Alonzo Stevens, coach of Vicksburg High, runs away from players Fred Kelly (75) and Maurice Taylor (20) in an attempt to avoid a Gatorade shower after the Gators beat Warren Central, 27-12, in their annual meeting. The Gators finished the season 8-4, but were eliminated in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs. (The Vicksburg Post/C. Todd Sherman)

[11/25/02]The music has long-stopped playing at the Vicksburg High fieldhouse.

The elation the Gators felt after beating Warren Central in the final regular season game has given way to an earlier-than-anticipated exit from the state playoffs.

Players have moved on to the baseball diamond or the basketball court; some just mill around the fieldhouse.

It was a season of ups and downs for a team that entered the season as the consensus No. 1 team in the state only to exit after the first round of .

“I still feel that when we are focused and on our game, we’re the best team in the state,” said Vicksburg coach Alonzo Stevens, who ended the year 8-4.

Wayne County put a quick end to the Gators’ lofty state standing with a crushing 27-14 loss at the Red Carpet Bowl in August. Before the game, excitement levels hit a feverish pitch in anticipation of a repeat of 2001.

That year, Vicksburg reached the North State championship game and had many of the components that got them there returning.

After the Wayne County loss, though, the Gators dropped in the polls, only to drop out completely after a 41-7 loss to South Pike.

Vicksburg won its next three, only to drop a turnover-laden game to Clinton which cost the Gators a Region 2-5A championship.

The final two games of the season mirrored the final two of last year:

Vicksburg beats a very emotional rival in Warren Central, only to lose the next week in a shootout to Horn Lake, 55-54, in double overtime.

Last season, Vicksburg came off an emotional win over nemesis Madison Central, only to lose the next week in a shootout to Starkville, 38-31.

Despite not reaching expectations Stevens and the team were loose mouthed early in the season about the prospects the coach said he doesn’t want anyone feeling sorry for the Gators.

“People that say our season was disappointing should get their head examined,” Stevens said. “You set out with expectations, but by no means is everything you want to happen going to happen for you.

“For people to haven picked us No. 1 (in preseason) is a acknowledgement of the work these coaches and players put forth.”

He looks to the future, but it will be impossible to move on without feeling some residual effects of what the team is losing.

Quarterback Justin Henry, who threw for almost 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns this season, fullback Phelan Gray and defensive back D’Eldrick Taylor will be sorely missed. Add to that offensive linemen Delvechio Ellis, Paul “Moose” Gorney, defensive lineman Johnny Daniel and the team will have to find solutions.

Gray was coming off the 2001 Vicksburg Post co-Offensive Player of the Year honors. Taylor took the defensive honor a season ago.

“We thought we had the talent to get there, but for some reason it didn’t work out,” Stevens said. “You can’t dwell on that, though, you have to look to the future.”

Stevens, who said he took the weekend after the Horn Lake loss to get his thoughts in order, has already started work for next season.

The Gators return almost 40 players that will be seniors next season. Maurice Taylor, wide receiver Ben Shelton, running back Michael Rainey and 3/5 of the offensive line returns. James Jackson will lead the charge to assume the starting quarterback role and the defense has several returning starters.

Unlike this season, the coach is sure his Gators won’t receive the early accolades it had this year, and that suits him just fine.

Building the program, he said, is more than a one-year endeavor. In two seasons as coach at VHS, Stevens has an 18-8 record.

“You look at the real quality programs the West Monroe’s and Warren Central’s and you see consistency,” Stevens said. “We are trying to get to that level. This is not a one or two year thing, this is a long process.”