GULFPORT – For the first time, Gulfport and Vancleave clashed on the gridiron of historic Milner Stadium Friday night with the Admirals coming out on top 51-14.
Gulfport (2-0) was sluggish in the first half, but scored on every possession of the second half to blow the game open.
“The scoreboard doesn’t describe how poorly we played in the first half,” said head coach Blake Pennock. “I was disappointed in the attention to detail, mistakes that hurt us.”
He liked the effort in the second half.
“We stopped shooting ourselves in the foot. We cleaned some things up offensively and did a much better job.”
Neither offense could do much in the first quarter, but with 3:06 to play in the quarter, Vancleave (1-1) attempted a throwback pass that was intercepted and returned 25 yards by Gulfport’s Prince Cottonham. Yoni Michua added the point after.
Gulfport added their second score of the first half when Cam Joseph took a swing pass from Nico Williams and raced 68 yards for the touchdown with 2:47 left in the second quarter. Mochua’s extra point was off to the right.
But Michua booted a 19-yard field goal as the first half expired to put the Admirals up 16-0. The points culminated an impressive drive with Williams hooking up with Jordan on three pass completions during the 6-play, 61-yard drive.
Williams, who only completed two passes in the first quarter, got on track in the second and finished the first half 8-of-18 for 148 yards and the TD toss. Williams finished the night 13-of-23 for 306 yards and two touchdowns.
Of their five first-half possessions, the Bulldogs managed to get into Gulfport territory just once and didn’t have a serious scoring threat. Vancleave’s deepest penetration was the Gullfport 21, but the Bulldogs failed to convert a fourth-and-2 and turned the ball over on downs late in the first quarter.
Gulfport got the high-octane offense they displayed in the season opener going in the second half. The Admirals took the opening drive of the second half and went 56 yards in 9 plays with Desmond Smith scoring from a yard out. The point after made it 23-0 at the 9:02 mark.
But Vancleave answered with their best drive of the night, marching 74 yards in 12 plays with running back Kyle Capers scoring on a 5-yard run around right end with 3:40 to play in the third quarter. The 2-point conversion try failed.
It was the first time this season the Gulfport defense had been scored on.
Gulfport quickly answered the TD with Williams tossing a 59-yard scoring strike to Bishop McGruder. The point after made it 30-6 with 2:22 to play in the third.
Vancleave signal-caller Hunter Parker scored from two yards out and the 2-point conversion cut the Gulfport lead to 30-14 with 10:33 left in the fourth quarter.
But that was as close as the Bulldogs would get.
Gavin Brown capped a 52-yard drive for the Admirals with an 8-yard TD run to put Gulfport up 37-14 with nine minutes to play in the fourth.
Special teams then came into play with Cottonham returning a punt to the Vancleave five. Dakoreyon Payton scored from there and Michua booted another point after.
Christian Hughes then blocked a Vancleave punt and Payton capped the 17-yard drive with a 6-yard TD run for the final TD of the night.
Vancleave, who blew away St. Martin in the season opener last week, couldn’t get their offensive run game rolling. Capers and backfield mate Derik Forehand combined for 125 yards on the ground. The Bulldogs had just under 200 total yards of offense on the night.
The Bulldogs will try to get back on the winning track Friday when they travel to Brooklyn, Miss., to face Forrest County AHS.
The Admirals will continue their homestand when they host traditional power Madison Central Friday.
“It’s a big opportunity,” said Pennock. “We’re going to enjoy this one for a day and get back at it Sunday and put a plan together.”
