By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

GAUTIER — The Gautier Gator football program is in the midst of the most successful stretch of football in the almost 30-year history of the school.

And after last season, all that’s missing is the first state championship in program history. And that’s what the current crop of Gators are aiming for this season.

After knocking on the door a few times, Gautier finally punched its ticket to the Class 5A state championship game last year before coming up just short to perennial state power West Point in a 28-21 loss to the Green Wave.

“Last season ended after the state championship game, so we’ve been working this whole time for this year and getting these kids ready,” Gators head coach Marc High, the most successful GHS mentor to date, said in a recent interview. “We’ve had a really good offseason, great summer program. We’re feeling pretty good. We’ve just got to get out here and grind and see where we are at game one.”

Gautier set a team record for most wins in a single season last year, going 12-2 overall and winning the Region 4-5A title. It marked the third straight season that the Gators played for the Class 5A South State title, but the thrilling 37-35 win over visiting Brookhaven the night after Thanksgiving gave GHS its first South State crown ever.

The Gators must replace departed senior standout signal-caller Trey Irving, who earned both “Class 5A Mr. Football” honors as well as the Offensive Most Valuable Player of the year award on the Class 5A First Team All-State team.

All Irving did in leading Gautier to the state championship game was account for over 3,500 yards of total offense and 39 touchdowns. He is one of 15 seniors from last season that High must replace this year.

Even though High will be looking for a new quarterback, the cupboard in the offensive backfield is far from bare, as running backs Kasin Thomas and Latrell Pogue return. Thomas ran for 613 yards and nine scores last year and Pogue tallied 533 yards and eight touchdowns.

Versatile Devon Garrett returns as well after registering over 500 yards in receptions last year.

Defensively, linebackers Denzel Larkin and Gabe Millender are back at the heart of the GHS attack. Larkin tallied 124 total tackles with six tackles for loss last season, and Millender made 109 tackles, had five tackles for loss with three sacks and he recovered four fumbles as a junior.

High, who has guided Gautier to a 30-13 record over the past three seasons, will lead his troops into a new world this season as Gautier moves up to Class 6A for the first time ever. So, if the Gators hope to return to the state championship round after achieving that status last season in Class 5A, then they’ll have to do it in a new league while facing an almost completely new schedule as well.

Gautier will compete in the newly revamped Region 4-6A with arch-rival Pascagoula, perennial state power Picayune, Long Beach, Hancock and another newcomer in Pearl River Central.

The Gators and Blue Devils replace George County and West Harrison, as the Rebels moved into Region 3-6A and Hurricanes moved up to Class 7A.

Gautier will kick off its eighth season under High’s direction on Fri., Aug. 29th, on the road at George County.