Raheam Moore got a record, and the Vicksburg Gators got a big win and some of their mojo back.

Moore caught five passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns, and Joe Johnson threw for 262 yards and five scores as Vicksburg beat Holmes County Central 49-26 in their regular-season finale on Friday night.

With the win, Vicksburg (9-3, 5-2 Region 2-5A) locked up just its third nine-win season since 1993 and the No. 3 seed in Region 2-5A. It will go on the road to Lake Cormorant (8-4) for the first round of the Class 5A playoffs next week.

Lake Cormorant beat Oxford 31-20 on Friday night to finish second in Region 1-5A. Vicksburg coach Marcus Rogers had been hoping for a rematch with Oxford, the team that put Vicksburg out of the playoffs last year, but had no problem adjusting his focus to Lake Cormorant.

“No problem,” Rogers said. “Let’s get this party started.”

Moore’s two touchdown receptions gave him 20 for the season, which broke A.J. Stamps’ 5-year-old Warren County single season record of 19. Moore caught a 35-yard touchdown pass on Vicksburg’s first offensive series, and added an 8-yarder later on.

Moore’s third consecutive 100-yard game also put him in some elite company. He’s just the sixth Warren County player to total 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Moore now has 1,055 yards. Stamps, who surpassed that mark in both 2010 and 2011, has the single-season record with 1,289 yards.

Rogers said getting the record has been one goal for Moore, but he’s also got a bigger one in mind.

“We’ve been communicating daily for the last couple of weeks, and all he talks about is how he wants to get us to Starkville,” Rogers said, referring to the site of this year’s state title games. “He’s putting us on his back and taking us there.”

Johnson is helping. His five touchdown passes gave him 31 for the season, making him only the second player to reach that mark. Former Gator Cameron Cooksey threw 38 touchdown passes in 2011. Johnson needs 137 more yards to join Cooksey as the only Warren County players with at least 3,000 passing yards in a season.

Besides the two touchdown passes to Moore on Friday night, Johnson threw two to Jeff Scott and one to James Allen.

Scott had six catches for 68 yards, and ran for another touchdown. After Holmes County Central (5-6, 3-4) scored on its opening drive, Scott also returned the ensuing kickoff 65 yards to jolt the Gators back to life.
They went on to tie the game on Moore’s 35-yard TD reception, and scored four straight touchdowns to take a 28-7 lead into halftime.

Marlon Hodge added 100 rushing yards for Vicksburg, Mike Sims scored on a short touchdown run, and Cardell Spencer had a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown.

“They had just scored on us with a long drive. When (Scott) got that kickoff return it ignited the crowd and our sideline, and we never looked back,” Rogers said.

UP NEXT:

Vicksburg (9-3) at Lake Cormorant (8-4)

Friday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m.

MHSAA Class 5A playoffs, first round

Radio: 1490 AM and 107.7 FM