By SAM STAFF/Sports Writer

GAUTIER — It was a little bit tougher than last year, but in the end the result was the same for Gautier as the Class 5A South State playoffs kicked off.
For the second straight season, the Gators hosted Natchez to open the postseason, and for the second consecutive year Gautier beat the Bulldogs to move on to round two.
However, Friday’s 36-30 decision was a far cry from the 50-18 win GHS posted over NHS in round one last year. But again, the Gators are moving on to the Class 5A South State semifinal round for the third straight season and will host Region 4-5A foe Wayne County next week.

With the game knotted up at 30-30, Gautier senior standout quarterback Trey Irving, who was recently named Class 5A “Mr. Football” in the state, found running back Kasin Thomas on a 55-yard scoring strike to provide the game-winning points with just 1:53 to play in the game.
Irving, in fact, accounted for all five Gator touchdowns as he ran for two and threw for three, including a 4-yard scoring toss to Devon Garrett that completed a second half comeback for GHS with 9:25 to play. Irving then kept for the two point conversion to put the Gators up 30-24.
But the Bulldogs bounced back with a 1-yard scoring run by Kaden Walton five minutes later to tie things up at 30-30 and set the stage for Irving’s and Thomas’ late game heroics.

Natchez took a quick 6-0 lead less than four minutes into the game on a Walton 6-yard scoring pass to Ashton Minor.
But Irving responded with a 35-yard scoring scamper as well as on a 2-yard quarterback sneak and a 5-yard touchdown toss to Sebastian Gonzalez to guide the Gators to a 22-12 halftime lead.
But the Bulldogs would not go quietly into the good Gautier night, as Natchez scored two touchdowns in the third frame on a pair of short scoring runs by running back Carl McDonald to take a 24-22 advantage into the fourth period.
Gautier moved to 10-1 with the win, while Natchez finishes the year at 6-6.