Vicksburg High’s Beverly Simmons, left, battles with Warren Central’s Mary Clare Scurria for possession of the ball during the Missy Gators’ 4-0 win on Tuesday night. Brandi Parker scored three goals in the shutout. (MELANIE DUNCAN THORTISThe Vicksburg Post)

[1/8/03]Sean McGowan capped one of the most unlikely of double-header wins on Tuesday night when the Vicksburg Gators beat rival Warren Central, 2-0, to almost assure itself of a playoff berth.

The Gators, winners of one of the last 11 meetings between the schools on the soccer field, was also a member of the Vicksburg High football team that knocked off the Vikings for only the second time in the series’ lopsided history.

“It feels great,” said McGowan, making his first start since returning to the field after being hampered by a knee injury. “We played really well as a team and everyone did what they were supposed to do.”

McGowan, a stalwart in goal, was peppered with 23 shots from WC, but most either sailed high of the goal or wide. McGowan made nine saves.

“WE lost this game tonight,” WC coach Jay Harrison said. “The team lost this game. We had opportunities, but didn’t finish.”

While WC had plenty of chances, the Gators made the most of the few they had.

Vicksburg attempted only three shots, but two of them came from leading scorer Matt Minyard, who gave the Gators a 1-0 lead in the first half and iced the game with a looping 40-yard shot midway through the second half for the 2-0 cushion.

“We had to have guys step up and they did,” said Minyard, a transfer from Columbus who has been on the losing end of this matchup once.

The win also vaults Vicksburg almost certainly into the playoffs with a 2-0 record in the division. The Gators play Clinton on Tuesday and with a win can clinch the division title. A loss and the Gators will have to wait on the outcome of the Clinton-WC game on Jan. 25. If all three teams end the season tied at 2-1 in the division, several tie breakers will have to be used.

“I told our guys the bottom line is we have to beat Clinton,” Harrison said.

(G) Vicksburg 4, WC 0

Brandi Parker’s hat trick combined with a dual shutout by goalies Megan Humphries and Kristy McCain have the Missy Gators (15-1-1) in the playoffs yet again.

Parker scored a pair of first-half goals and added a third in the second half. Vicksburg, which will meet Clinton on Jan. 18 at VHS, will at worst be a No. 2 seed after beating the Lady Vikes and Natchez already. The Missy Gators, who have won five state championships in seven seasons, can win the division with a victory over the Lady Arrows.

“We have to keep playing hard every game and playing together,” said Parker, who will lead the team into a brutal part of the schedule that includes Brandon, Madison Central, Pearl, Florence and St. Andrew’s. “I think we’ll be OK. We match up against anyone.”

Warren Central (5-9) can still earn a playoff berth with a win over Clinton and some help, but coach Holly Lane said she was proud of the team’s effort, especially in the second half.

“We have been improving each game and playing as a team,” Lane said. “Tonight, it took us a while to get going, but once we did, we played well.”

Parker scored the first goal 10 minutes into the game on an assist from Brandi Head.

Four minutes later, Jill Rush scored on an assist from Miranda Hunt and Parker added a goal with 8:12 left in the half on assists from Viola Howard and Beverly Simmons for a 3-0 lead.

Simmons set up Parker’s final goal late in the game and strong defense and goal keeping kept the Lady Vikes off the board.