To qualify for the playoffs, Vicksburg High’s boys’ soccer team needed a big upset and several tiebreakers to fall in its favor.

No part of that equation worked out.

Neshoba Central broke a scoreless tie with two goals late in the first half, then ripped off five more in the second half to roll to a 7-0 victory over the Gators on Thursday.

The result sent Columbus, rather than Vicksburg, into the MHSAA Class 6A playoffs as the No. 4 seed from Region 2-6A and ended the Gators’ season. Columbus will play Region 1-6A champion Center Hill in the first round on Tuesday.

Although the score got out of hand in the second half, the Gators (4-14-2, 1-7 Region 2-6A) held their own in the first. A handball in the box led to a penalty kick goal by Neshoba’s Dylan Spears in the 26th minute, however, and Braxton Richard scored on a breakaway in the 32nd minute to put the Rockets ahead 2-0.

The Gators missed a penalty kick of the own in the 35th minute, and then Neshoba Central (8-11-2, 4-4) pulled away in the second half.

Girls
Neshoba Central 3, Vicksburg 2
Neshoba Central (10-10, 5-3 Region 2-6A) scored the go-ahead goal with six minutes left in regulation, and then held off Vicksburg High (5-10, 2-6) in Thursday’s regular-season finale for both teams.

Kennedy Mullins and Trinity McGloster scored goals in the second half for Vicksburg, which has qualified for the Class 6A playoffs as the No. 4 seed from Region 2-6A.

The Missy Gators will go on the road for the first round, and will play Saltillo (20-1). That game is Tuesday at 5 p.m.