By TK EDWARDS/Sports Correspondent

VANCLEAVE — Home-standing Vancleave decided that the annual Homecoming contest would be an historical one this year as the Bulldogs hosted perennial state power for the first time ever.
Then, veteran head coach Kevin Fant’s crew decided to take it even one step further.
The Bulldogs registered their first-ever win over the Golden Tornadoes with an exciting 41-33 shootout decision Friday night in Region 4-5A play. with the win, Vancleave moves to 2-1 in the region race and Laurel, the defending Class 5A South State champions, drops to 1-2. The Bulldogs are 5-3 overall and the ‘Naders sit at 2-7.

The outcome could go a long way in charting the course of the upcoming Class 5A South State playoff picture, with just two weeks left in the regular season.
Laurel scored first with 07:31 remaining in the first, as running back Desmond Hosey dashed in from 28 yards out to make it 7-0.
After an in interception by Bulldogs defensive back Martin Shaw, Vancleave would answer back at the 02:55 mark on a 1-yard Hunter Harper touchdown plunge to make it 7-7.
With 05:07 remaining in the second quarter, Laurel running back Tommaj Harris would find the end zone from 4 yards out to put his team back up at 14-7.
Vancleave tied the game at 14-14 with a 4-yard scoring run by Hunter Harper with 01:04 to go before the half, but Laurel proved that was plenty of time to score before the break.

Laurel QB Bryce Gavin marched his team right down the field and connected with Zechariah Jenkins on a scoring strike with 00:23 remaining to put the Golden Tornadoes up 20-14 at intermission.
At the 06:17 mark of the third quarter, Vancleave running back Kyle Capers would gallop 17 yards for another Vancleave touchdown. Jordan Raynor’s all-important point-after would make it 21-20.
Laurel’s ensuing drive would end at the 04:56 mark of the third on an interception by Vancleave’s Trent Moore. The ensuing VHS drive was aided by 30 yards of penalties on the same play for defensive pass interference and unsportsmanlike conduct on the Laurel sideline.
Once again Harper would answer his coach’s call with his third touchdown of the night on a 41-yard touchdown sprint to make it 27-20.

Harper wasn’t done yet, however, with his fourth and final touchdown run of the night with 07:19 to go in the game to put the Bulldogs up 34-20
Laurel responded, marching down the field capped off with a 1-yard Tommaj Harris touchdown rush with 05:49 remaining to cut the deficit to 34-26.
Vancleave’s final score of the night came from Capers on a short scoring run to make it 41-26.
Laurel bounced back with a touchdown toss from Gavin to Jenkins for 25 yards to close out the scoring at 41-33.
Hunter and Capers combined to form a force on the ground that wreaked havoc on the Laurel defense accounting for 347 yards rushing and six touchdowns. Capers tallied a game-high 232 yards on the ground with Harper adding 115.

This was the third all-time meeting between the two teams with both resulting in home wins by Laurel.