Opportunistic defense, Mr. Football ensure 5A South State final will be played on MS Coast

With a one-point lead, Gautier faced a 3rd-and-long in the final minutes, in danger of having to punt the ball back to a Wayne County offense that had run for more than 260 yards on the night.

Good thing for the Gators they could turn to Mississippi’s Class 5A Mr. Football.

Trey Irving faked a defender in the open field short of the first-down marker and motored 20 yards to put the finishing touches on a thrilling 28-27 Gators win. The victory ensured the 5A South State final will be played Friday, Nov. 29 in Gautier, with the Gators facing the Brookhaven Panthers, 26-0 winners Friday over Stone.

Irving and running back Kasin Thomas each finished with two rushing touchdowns on a night where the Gautier offense scored touchdowns on every possession except its first and last, the last of which finished in the victory formation.

Wayne County’s ball-control offense featured a bruising rushing attack that accounted for 267 yards and kept the ball away from Gautier’s high-scoring offense. The Gators only had six possessions, with Irving completing 19-of-21 passes for 160 yards and the Gautier ground game accounting for another 106.

The Gautier defense’s game-saving play came at the end of a 13-play, 75-yard drive in the final three minutes of the game. After an Omar Boykin Jr. 11-yard touchdown run cut the Gators’ lead to 28-27, the War Eagles chose to attempt a two-point conversion. The Gators’ defense, though, stood tall, stopping Boykin on a QB keeper to preserve the lead.

After the Gators recovered an onside kick, one first down was enough to secure the win, and the berth in the South State final for the Gators.

This story was originally published November 23, 2024 at 5:00 AM.