Gators take down Cleveland Central 28-26 on homecoming night

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) —

Confidence, determination and a two-touchdown performance by Jayden Stewart helped Vicksburg High School secure a thrilling 28-26 homecoming victory over Cleveland Central on Friday night.

The Gators overcame an early 12-point deficit before holding off a late comeback by the Wolves to secure the victory in front of their home crowd.

“It felt like our life was on the line, and we’re going into next week with the same mindset,” Stewart said.

Vicksburg started the night with momentum after recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff. However, the Gators were unable to capitalize on the turnover as Cleveland Central eventually took over on offense.

The Wolves quickly took advantage, scoring on their opening drive before finding the end zone again just minutes later to take a 12-0 lead in the second quarter.

Despite the early deficit, the Gators refused to back down.

With 5:53 remaining in the first half, Stewart gave Vicksburg the spark it needed when he broke loose for a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Casey Brown connected on the extra point to cut Cleveland Central’s lead to 12-7.

Defensively, the Gators began making crucial stops as Landon Prentiss prevented a long touchdown pass and the defense came up with a big sack to keep Vicksburg within striking distance.

With less than a minute remaining in the first half, quarterback Jordan Clay connected with Stewart on a 55-yard touchdown pass to give the Gators their first lead of the night. Brown nailed the extra point to put Vicksburg ahead 14-12.

Just before halftime, Mesiah Sims came up with another big defensive play when he recorded a sack for the Gators.

Vicksburg carried that momentum into the second half as its offense began finding more success late in the third quarter.

Jaquez Jones broke loose on a 30-yard reverse to put the Gators in scoring position. Just a few plays later, Clay connected with Daylin Atkins on a 21-yard touchdown pass. Brown’s extra point extended Vicksburg’s lead to 21-12 with 4:30 remaining in the third quarter.

The Gators continued making plays on both sides of the ball as their defense came up with a crucial fourth-down stop to give the offense another opportunity.

Nick Carson quickly made his presence felt when he broke loose on a 25-yard run as time expired in the third quarter.

Carson picked up right where he left off on the first play of the fourth quarter, powering his way into the end zone on a 20-yard touchdown run. Brown remained perfect on extra points as Vicksburg extended its lead to 28-12.

With a 16-point advantage, the Gators appeared to be in control, but Cleveland Central had other plans.

The Wolves responded with a 55-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 28-18. Cleveland Central continued battling back and eventually found the end zone again before converting a 2-point attempt to make it a 28-26 game.

Suddenly, what appeared to be a comfortable Vicksburg lead had turned into a fight to the finish.

With the Gators holding a narrow two-point advantage, Clay used his mobility to scramble and help burn valuable time off the clock.

However, Cleveland Central eventually regained possession and threatened to steal the victory in the final moments.

With the game hanging in the balance, Vicksburg’s defense delivered one final stand.

The Gators stopped the Wolves at the goal line as time expired, preserving the 28-26 victory and sending Vicksburg into celebration on homecoming night.

Stewart’s two touchdowns helped ignite the comeback, while Clay threw two touchdown passes and Carson added another score on the ground. Brown also played a key role, connecting on all four extra-point attempts.

The victory gave Vicksburg a memorable homecoming finish after overcoming an early deficit and surviving a fourth-quarter rally.

The Gators will return to action next Friday when they host Holmes County Central.