A big second half from sophomore Edward Davis was not enough to overcome a 28-point halftime deficit for the Vicksburg Gators. Greenville-Weston converted two big Vicksburg mistakes in the first half and then held on for a 35-25 win Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

The loss drops Vicksburg to 1-6 overall and 1-3 in Region 2-6A play. VHS coach Tavares Johnson said his team did not get started quickly enough despite Davis’ best efforts. Davis intercepted two passes, with one returned for a 70-yard touchdown, then caught TD passes of 5 and 44 yards from Marquez Pickett.

“I’m tired of spotting teams 28 points,” Johnson said. “We can’t get down 28 points and think we can fight back and win. Red (Davis) played real well to bring us back.”

Vicksburg’s first half follies began when it trailed 7-0 following a 60-yard TD run by Diquan Davis.

Vicksburg’s Davis came up with a fumble recovery, the first of his three big defensive plays. Three plays later, Pickett threw an ill-advised screen pass right to Greenville’s Lamar Thompson. Thompson took a convoy of Hornets 55 yards for the touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 1:36 left in the first quarter.

On Vicksburg’s next play from scrimmage, a shotgun snap went over Johnathan Tenner’s head. Hornets linebacker Syderrick Watson beat him to the ball in the end zone for a touchdown and a 20-0 lead.

Midway through the second quarter, Vicksburg’s defense appeared to make a stop but was called for having 12 men on the field. Greenville cashed in on the break by getting a 25-yard TD run by Jarvis Harper for a 28-0 lead with 4:31 left in the half.

To their credit, the Gators did not fold. A short Greenville punt and a 15-yard personal foul penalty set them up inside the Hornets 30 to start the second half. They took just three plays to score with Tenner going in from the 10 to make it 28-6. The PAT kick was missed.

Greenville responded with an 8-minute drive, but on a second-and-long, Quintaris Sanders tried to pass and Davis was there for the pick six. He went 70 yards to make it 28-13 after Garrett Watson’s PAT with 45 seconds left in the third quarter.

Vicksburg pulled to within 28-19 after Davis caught a 5-yard TD pass with 5:27 left. The Gators then recovered the pooch kick. A fourth down pass was stopped eight yards short of the marker and Greenville took over with three minutes left.

The two teams traded scores in the final 1:24. Greenville’s Eli Levy scored on a 9-yard run that made it 35-19. Davis got his final score on a 44-yard TD pass from Pickett 25 seconds later.

Pickett, making his first start since the loss of regular VHS quarterback Tavares Johnson Jr., finished 9-for-16 for 103 yards. Davis had 121 all purpose yards and three TDs.