Gators outlast WC for division title|[1/25/06]
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 25, 2006
In a game this big, 80 minutes just wasn’t enough.
Vicksburg scored a goal in each of the two 10-minute overtime periods to take a 2-0 win over archrival Warren Central on Tuesday at Memorial Stadium. The Gators (13-6-1, 5-1) will host a first round playoff game against the runner-up from Division 1-5A on Tuesday. WC (8-9-1, 4-2) must hit the road to the divisional champ. Division 1-5A includes Horn Lake, Southaven and Olive Branch.
Following a slow first half, the Gators controlled most of the second half and both overtime periods.
“Warren Central was a lot better team this time than the one we faced in December,” VHS coach Jason Bennett said. “We were flat in the first half but we came out fired up in the second half. We got a bunch of shots, but they got blocked. Then in the overtime, we took over.”
The Gators outshot the Vikings 11-3 in the second half, but each attempt was either blocked, saved or went off the cross bar.
But before the Gators finally broke through 8:51 into the first overtime, WC had its best chance when Eric Richards sent a 40-yard direct kick that Gator keeper Jay Griffing tipped away.
Vicksburg countered when John Howard broke the scoreless tie with a header off a throw-in assist from Michael Cooper.
Five minutes into the second overtime, Josh Dixon booted in a rebound to make it 2-0.
“Our objective was to score early and we had our chances but couldn’t get a goal,” WC coach Jay Harrison said. “Then in the second half, our level dropped and Vicksburg‘s went up.”