Gulfport High first fielded a football team in 1908, and Vancleave High first hit the gridiron in 1954.
But this week, the Admirals and the Bulldogs face off on the football field for the first time ever.
And, this historic clash, set for historic Milner Stadium, has been selected as the 228Sports “Kneed to See” Game of the Week sponsored by Bienville Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Center.
Both teams are 1-0 after resounding season-opening wins last week at home. The Admirals shutout Gautier 42-0 and the Bulldogs bombed St. Martin 42-6.
Gulfport got a big game out of new quarterback Nico Williams, who ran for three touchdowns and passed for another while Gulfport’s defense pitched a shutout in the victory in the Port City Bowl.
Williams, who played wide receiver during the 2022 season, sparkled in the Admirals romp. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 172 yards and rushed 12 times for 91 yards. He scored on runs of 2, 3, and 40 yards, and tossed a 48-yard TD pass to Bishop McGruder to open the second half.
At the same time, the home-standing Bulldogs rolled out to a commanding 36-0 lead at halftime and destroyed the Yellow Jackets.
Running back Kyle Capers scored a game-high three touchdowns for the Bulldogs, all in the first half, while quarterback Hunter Parker and running back Derik Forehand also each added scoring runs in the first half for VHS.
Freshman running back Jaylen Johnson ran for right at 100 yards and scored the game’s last touchdown for VHS, and the stout Bulldog defense limited St. Martin to less than 30 yards of total offense.
The Gulfport-Vancleave game will feature staff from Bienville Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Center/Encore Rehab on the sidelines providing sports medicine coverage for both teams.
One of the Bienville staff members, Dr. J.B. Brown, is one of the leaders of the Sports medicine coverage team at Bienville.
A native of Mississippi, Brown joined Bienville Orthopaedics in August of 2017. Dr. Brown received his Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from the University of Mississippi and his Master of Science in Medical Sciences from Mississippi College.
After obtaining his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Mississippi in Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Brown went on to complete his Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He then completed his fellowship training in Arthroscopy/Sports Medicine at Orthopaedic Research of Virginia in Richmond and served as an Assistant Team Physician for the Washington Redskins during their Spring training Camp. A member of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Dr. Brown’s clinical interests include arthroscopic rotator cuff and labral repair, shoulder replacement, elbow arthroscopy, ACL reconstruction, and cartilage preservation of the knee.
Founded in 1981, Bienville Orthopaedics has now grown to 18 physicians who have admitting privileges at five local hospitals. The practice has grown to five different locations across the “Southern Six’ and a history of excellence by a renowned team of physicians has made Bienville Orthopaedic Specialists the largest and most trusted provider of orthopaedic care in Mississippi.
Kick-off time is set for 7 p.m., Friday night for the “Kneed to See” Game of the Week Sponsored by Bienville Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Center.
