Gators rocket past Callaway|[09/22/07]

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 22, 2007

Speed is a dangerous thing, especially when you don’t know where it is coming from.

The Vicksburg Gators hit Callaway from many different angles from both sides of the ball in rolling to a 44-7 win Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

The Gator defense used its speed to score a touchdown and a safety, while quarterback Stanton Price hit six different receivers in passing for 179 yards to key the offense as Vicksburg won its Region 3-4A opener in impressive fashion.

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Veteran coach Bennie Tillman of Callaway was impressed.

“They have so many really fast skilled players and they are very fast on defense. We were overmatched,” Tillman said.

Vicksburg (3-1, 1-0) had two touchdowns on the board less than two minutes into the game. Cordell Watkins ran down the opening pooch kickoff to recover the first of three Callaway turnovers on the Charger 30. Six plays later, Delmon Robinson scored on a 3-yard run at the 10:17 mark of the first quarter. Ryan Ferrington booted the first of three PAT kicks.

Thirteen seconds later, the Gators’ William Henderson blitzed Callaway quarterback Mark Thigpen, forcing an ill-advised pass that went right into the waiting arms of Vicksburg’s Emmanuel Lofton, who ran 15 yards for an interception return touchdown. Ferrington’s kick made it 14-0.

The Gator offense got moving in the second quarter when Price directed a 5-play, 76-yard drive. The score came on a 29-yard toucdown pass to Rodney Beacham, who made a diving catch in the end zone. Price had earlier hit Marlon Maxey on an 18-yard gain to set up the touchdown.

“Our speed gives us a lot of options,” said Price, who finished 8-of-12 passing for 179 yards. He also had a 1-yard TD run.

Callaway’s third turnover set up the Gators’ fourth score, a 1-yard run by Robinson with 6:08 left in the second quarter. Patrick Parker made the first of his three kicks for a 28-0 lead.

Price led a hurry-up offensive score in the final 53 seconds of the half when he hit John Qualls on a 65-yard crossing pattern to get the Gators to the Charger 12. A 9-yard crossing pattern placed the ball on the three with three seconds left. Price scrambled in on the last the play of the half for the score. Parker’s kick made it 35.

Callaway snapped an 11-quarter scoreless streak by the Gator defense with a 74-yard drive led by Thigpen. He scored on a 5-yard dive after hitting on 3 of 5 passes in the march for 56 yards. Jabril Smith made the kick for a 35-7 game with 3:19 left in the third quarter.

The Gators defense sacked Thigpen for a safety with 1:02 left in the third to up their lead to 37-7. Charles Brown closed out the scoring on a 27-yard TD run with 5:02 left and Parker’s kick made it 44-7.

The Gators finished with 295 yards in total offense, which included 116 rushing. Jeremy Hamlin had 47 yards on just three carries while Brown had 44 yards in reserve duty.

“We had great coaching on both sides of the ball,” said an elated VHS coach Alonzo Stevens. “This is one of the fastest defenses I’ve ever had and coach (Stacy) Sizemore keeps a coach guessing on where the blitz is going to come from.”

Thigpen led Callaway (0-4, 0-1) on 9-of-13 passing for 101 yards. The Chargers, however, were held to only 45 yards rushing.