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Vicksburg High's girls' soccer players and coaches hold up three fingers each to celebrate their 11-0 win vs. Canton on Monday. It was the Missy Gators' third shutout in a row. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Vicksburg High soccer players Katelyn Barton (14), Sarah Beth Holloway (28) and Alysha Murrell (21) celebrate after Barton scored a goal on a penalty kick in an 11-0 win over Canton on Monday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Vicksburg High's Leah O'Bryant (5) kicks the soccer ball during Monday's girls' game vs. Canton. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Vicksburg's Cameron Nailor (1) tries to dribble past Canton's Alberto Castro (2) during Monday's game at Memorial Stadium. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Canton's Sindy Garcia, center, chases the soccer ball between Vicksburg's Dacion Brown (10) and Allan Allen (2) during Monday's game at Memorial Stadium. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Vicksburg's Danny Curry (15) and Canton;s Jakarrian Carson (5) fight for possession of the ball during Monday's boys' soccer game at Memorial Stadium. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Vicksburg's De'caidan Richardson (8) and Canton's Anibal Tolentino (15) chase after the ball during Monday's game. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

The Vicksburg Missy Gators started the holiday week with a goal-scoring Christmas party.

Eight different players scored at least once, two players had multiple goals, and the Missy Gators crushed Canton 11-0 in a girls’ soccer match on Monday.

All 11 goals came in the first half, and the game was called at that point.

“Those are kind of fun,” said Vicksburg midfielder Trinity McGloster, who scored three goals. “Once we start putting points on the board then we get to have a little fun with the formation. We get to put people who never play up top, up top, drop our forwards back to defense, so it’s all fun and games.”

While the game was a mismatch from the start, it provided an opportunity for the Missy Gators to have some fun. The entire roster got some playing time, and a good number of them scored.

McGloster had her second hat trick in a row, while Amari Johnson scored two goals. Leah O’Bryant, Xaria Williams, Alysha Murrell, Camden McGloster, Midori Allen and Katelyn Barton finished with one goal apiece.

Vicksburg (5-5) won its third game in a row, all by shutout. It will travel to play at Neshoba Central in an MHSAA Region 2-6A game on Tuesday, then have a three-week break until the next game at Ridgeland on Jan. 9.

Building a winning streak and plenty of positive momentum heading into the long layoff was nice, coach Maurice Gilliam said.

“We’re heading into the break with a little momentum, but tomorrow’s important because it’s a district game,” Gilliam said. “If you look at all the teams — Warren Central, Ridgeland, Neshoba — they’re all beating each other 1-0 or 2-1, so we’re all close. Whoever wants it the most is going to pull it out, and I think we want it.”

Boys
Canton 6, Vicksburg 0
Canton (8-1) scored three goals in the first 10 minutes of each half, and easily defeated Vicksburg High in Monday’s boys’ game.

Chris Gomez, Sindy Garcia and Kevyn Contreras scored the early goals for Canton in the fifth, sixth and 10th minutes, repsectively.

The Tigers subbed out all of their starters midway through the first half and played the Gators to a standstill until halftime. In the second half, they repeated their burst from the start of the game.

Roelmer Matias scored a minute into the half, then Ahmad Ahmad and Jocsan Hernendez each converted a penalty kick to make it 6-0 in the 59th minute.

Canton had a chance to finish the game via the mercy rule, but Vicksburg keeper Xavier Williams stopped Hernendez on another penalty kick in the 67th minute. The teams played to a stalemate the rest of the way.

Williams finished with six saves.

“That’s a great team, they have great technical skills. And for some reason my second string played better than my first string,” Gilliam said with a laugh. “I’m proud of the boys. They’re progressing. We might not win a lot now, but hopefully in the future we can turn this thing around.”

The Gators (2-9-2) will also travel to play Neshoba Central on Tuesday, but they have one more game before the holiday break. On Thursday they’ll host Porter’s Chapel Academy’s co-ed team at 5:30 p.m.

About Ernest Bowker

Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.

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