The 1978 Vicksburg Gators were less than a minute away from etching a place in history as Big 8 Conference champions, but gave up a touchdown to Meridian with 34 seconds left that led to a 14-13 loss.

They’ve re-emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the Greatest on the Gridiron tournament, taking out two Warren Central teams — 1978 and 1994 — on the way to the Elite Eight, by a total of 18 votes.

To get to the Final Four, they’ll need to get by their counterparts from a generation later.

Led by quarterback Justin Henry and the two-headed running back tandem of Phelan Gray and J.J. Brown — both 1,000-yard rushers — the 2001 Gators were a gritty group that found ways to win games. They finished with a 10-4 record, with three late-season wins by a total of nine points, before losing to eventual Class 5A champion Starkville in the semifinals.

Which Vicksburg team will move on? Your vote at vicksburgpost.com will decide.