By Curtis Rockwell/Sports Director
GAUTIER — A year didn’t make much of a difference as far as the gautier-George County football series goes.
For the second straight season, the Gators smashed the Rebels 63-36 Friday night at home in Vaughan-Wallace Stadium in the season-opener for both. This comes on the heels of a 35-0 decison on the road for GHS in Lucedale last season as well.

Gautier jumped out to a commanding 34-7 lead at halftime and never looked back. Head coach Marcus High employed a two quarterback system, and each exclled as starter Ty Moore completed 10-of-12 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns all in the first half, and Keon McNeil went7-of-9 for 116 yards and one score in the second half and he also scored twice on the ground.

“I was proud of Ty Moore coming in and doing an incredible job,” High said. “He’s the type of kid who comes in and works hard everyday. It was a typical first game, Saw some good things and some things we need to work on.”
Gautier running back Latrell Pogue got things rolling for the home team with a 4-yard scoring run three minutes into the game. He would later add another touchdown run in the second half, and finish with the night with just over 200 all-purpose yards.
The Rebels responded though, as Bo Dixon took an eight yard pitch from quarterback Maddox Dunn to the house to tie things up at 7-7.
But Moore would have none of it, as hde hooked up with Ashun Tubbs on an 80-yard scoring strike on Gautier’s next play from scrimmage to make it 14-7 and give the Gators the lead for good.

Moore also hit Tubbs on 19-yard touchdown pass in the second stanza, and threw one of 37-yards to Juelz Watson as well as the home team compiled that commanding halftime lead.
Watson finished the night a game-high seven receptions for 174 yards and two scores, after he added a 32-yarder from McNeil in the second half.
McNeil, the returning starter, sat out the first half after a recent automobile accident.
Dunn scored on two short keepers in the second half for George County. Ryaln Papania also returned a 32-yard punt for a score as well for GCHS.
Gautier heads to D’Iberville next week, while GCHS heads home to host South Jones.