By SAM STAFF/Sports Writer

GAUTIER — Gautier survived a fierce and exciting battle with visiting Columbia to pull out a 42-41 win Friday night.
With the win, the Gators move to 4-1 overall heading into Region 4-5A action against arch-rival Vancleave next week. It marks the first 4-1 start to a season in two years for Gautier and the third in the past four seasons.
Gautier thwarted a two-point conversion attempt by Columbia with :05 seconds left in the game to seal the win.
Gautier jumped out to a two touchdown lead early in the second quarter, but had to bounce back twice in the second half from a pair of seven point deficits to pull out the one-point win.

Senior signal-caller Trey Irving got the Gators off to a quick start when he tossed a 50-yard scoring strike to Kainen Rush just one minute into the game and the Gators took a 7-0 lead.
After Columbia tied the game up at 7-7 mid-way through the opening frame, Irving was right back at it scoring on a short run and the Gators reclaimed the lead at 14-7 with 4:21 left in the period.
The Gators took what would be their biggest lead of the night next when Kasin Thomas padded the lead with a 15-yard touchdown run to make it 21-7 with two minutes gone in the second stanza.
But Columbia quarterback Colin Haney had had enough, as the Wildcats responded with three straight scores to not only knot things up at 21-21 on a pair of touchdown passes by Haney but give the visitors their first lead of the game at 28-21 with three minutes left in the third frame on a 2-yard scoring run by Haney.

Gautier responded as Thomas tied it back up on a short 2-yard scoring plunge after a long Irving pass to Rush put the Gators deep in CHS territory and it was 28-28 with 1:30 to go in the period.
Columbia again pushed ahead on a 6-yard scoring pass from Haney to Dillion Rowley to make it 35-28 at the 6:30 mark of the final frame.
But Irving and the Gators would not be denied, as Irving cashed in on a 2-yard scoring keeper to tie things up at 35-35 with 3:30 to play.
Then, Irving again scored on a 15-yard scoring scamper to give Gautier its final touchdown of the game with 2:20 to play. Eric Robinson’s sixth successful point after of the day was an all important one, and the Gators led 42-35 with 2:20 left.

Haney and his Wildcats had one left gasp of air in them, as he added an 11-yard touchdown pass with just :05 seconds to play. But Columbia decided to go for the win and the Gators stood tall to hold on to win the game.