By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

and

Stan Caldwell/ Sports Writer

HATTIESBURG — No matter the outcome, history was going be made in the annals of prep football in the state of Mississippi Friday night as the Class 5A state championship game went down here at M.M. Roberts Stadium on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.
Unfortunately for Gautier, it was perennial state power West Point that penned the milestone chapter.
The Green Wave, the defending Class 5A state champ that was playing in their ninth straight state title tilt, overcame an early 7-0 deficit with 28 unanswered over a 23 minute span from the end of the first quarter to the middle of the third period to pull out a 28-21 win over the Gators.

The decision gives West Point its 23 overall state championship trophy, which sets a new state record in the state. West Point ends the season at 11-3.

Gautier, which was playing in its first state title tilt in school history, ends the season at 12-2 with the loss that snapped an 11 game winning streak.

“We got it inside the 20 three times and didn’t get it in, and that’s on us.” Gautier head coach Marc high said. “Give credit to West Point; they did a great job keeping us out.”

““Our O-line and our defense have been the backbone of our team all season, and our depth,” first-year WPHS head coach Brett Morgan said, amidst a jubilant post-game celebration. “We played six different quarterbacks this season, four tight ends. We’ve cycled through so many players who have contributed to the success of this football team. Guys have stepped up who shouldn’t have even been in those situations.”

The teams swapped touchdown drives in the first quarter.

Gautier wasted no time in taking a quick 7-0 lead on the opening drive of the game as Latrell Pogue scampered 10-yards to cap a touchdown march. The play was set up by a 38-yard pass from Trey Irving to Kanien Rush to the WPHS 10-yard line.

West Point responded with a five play, 80-yard scoring drive that included a 68-yard quarterback keeper from Shamane Clark to the GHS 3-yard line. Quinton Thompson covered that distance on the next play to knot things up and kick off that four unanswered touchdown stretch that turned the tide in the contest.

The second stanza belonged to the Green Wave, thanks in most part to Clark and Jamichael Forrest.

Forrest, a WPHS linebacker, recovered a Gator fumble at his own 16-yard line.

West Point capitalized off the fumble, as Clark led the Green Wave on a 17 play, 84-yard scoring march that took just over seven minutes off the clock capped by a 1-yard scoring keeper by Clark. West Point had its first lead of the night at 14-7 with 5:58 left before halftime.

It would be a lead the Green Wave would not relinquish.

On the second play of the ensuing GHS possession, Forest stepped in front of an Irving pass and returned it to the Gator 18-yard line.

Again, the Green Wave capitalized on the GHS miscue as Clark scrambled 9-yards for a score just one minute and four seconds after his prior one to extend the West Point advantage to 21-7.

The score would remain that at halftime as Gautier missed two great chances to add to its point total in the first half. Gator placekicker Eric Robinson missed a 25-yard field goal in the first frame, and then just before intermission after facing a first and goal at the Green Wave 5-yard line Gautier turned the ball over on downs at its own 17 after Irving was sacked on third and fourth down.

“Their offense It’s different,” High added. “They have a lot of personnel in it. They run it really well. There’s a reason they just won (championship No.) 13.”

West Point got the second half kickoff, and promptly marched 70 yards in 15 plays and took almost eight minutes off of the third quarter clock. Clark registered his third straight scoring run with a 1-yard plunge to put the Green Wave up 28-7 with 4:04 left in the frame and end the 28-point unanswered streak.

Gautier finally got back on the scoreboard three minutes later when Irving hooked up with Rush on a 46-yard scoring strike to make it 28-14 entering the fourth period.

Kasin Thomas added a 5-yard scoring jaunt for the Gators with :19 seconds left to make it 28-21, but the Green Wave would recover the ensuing kickoff to seal the win.

Clark was a difference maker for WPHS, as he ran for 168 yards and those three touchdowns.

“So hats off to Gautier; incredible year for them..” Morgan added. “But hats off also to the GreenWave defense. Our coaching staff did a great job of preparing our kids.”

“This season has been great,” Irving said, as he wrapped up his career for GHS. “It didn’t end liked we wanted it to, but my teammates and I have worked really hard all year to get Gautier to this point. It was amazing to be successful.”