By Curtis Rockwell/Sports Director

GULFPORT — Gulfport left D’iberville in a time warp again on Halloween Eve.

The Admirals overcame a slight halftime deficit to pull out an exciting 28-24 win over the visiting Warriors in a big Region 4-7A encounter Friday night. The decision gives defending Class 7A state champ GHS its second straight league title, while the Warriors will be the second seed.

The Gulfport win kept DHS from earning its first region crown in six years, and the Admirals have now won five league titles compared to just that one for DHS in the past 10 seasons. It also marked the fifth straight win for Gulfport in this series.

Gulfport controlled the second half with a powerful ground game, a key blocked field goal and two touchdown passes from Admiral quarterback Jackson Wolverton to swap a 17-14 first half deficit into the four point win.

Wolverton, who accounted for three touchdowns total in the game, put his team back on top mid-way through the third frame on a 28-yard fade route to wide out Cam Morgan that made it 21-17.

Then, just over tw minutes later, the Admirals came up with that big block on a 38-yard field goal try by DHS and put the home team back in business.

Wolverton then opened the fourth period with a 26-yard scoring strike to wide out Javious Hales to extend the GHS lead to 28-17.

D’Iberville quarterback Jordan Walley countered with a 65-yard touchdown toss to Jo Jo Owens with just over 9 minutes to play to result in the final count.

However, the Gulfport defense stood tall just over three minutes later, and stood up Walley on a 4th-and-9 situation from mid-field and the Admirals took over on downs.

Wolverton and running back Amijai Frederick then ran the clock out and sealed the win for Gulfport.

The home team started the scoring on its opening possession of the drive when Wolverton kept from a yard out to make it 7-0 mid-way through the opening quarter.

The Warriors also got on the scoreboard the first time they touched the ball, thanks to a 37-yard field goal from Melzer Villela with 2:08 left in the stanza.

There was no more scoring for almost for the equivalent of almost an entire quarter, but then all heck broke loose.

Gulfport stretched its lead to 14-3 on a 6-yard scoring run by Frederick at the 3:31 mark of the second stanza.

But, D’Iberville answered.

Walley found Owens on a 29-yard touchdown toss to cut the deficit back to four, at 14-10, with just 1:19 to go before the half.

Then, DHS defensive back Matt Fairley picked off an errant Wolverton throw and returned it 51-yards for a touchdown just :10 seconds later. The extra point put the visitors up 17-14 at intermission.