[9/5/03]The news for Vicksburg High kicker Sean McGowan keeps getting worse and worse.

The senior tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the Gators’ loss to Southaven on Friday in the Red Carpet Bowl and will likely miss the entire season. He was scheduled to find out Thursday if he’ll need surgery.

McGowan’s injury has sent the Gators’ coaching staff scrambling for a replacement kicker for tonight’s game at Brookhaven. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“Gators come to the rescue when other Gators are in trouble,” coach Alonzo Stevens said.

Sophomores John Howard and Patrick Gray, as well as freshman Cameron Curtis have been working out at kicker all week. Matt Minyard, who stars on the Gators soccer team, came out Thursday for a tryout, and even Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year Brandi Parker offered to fill in for the injured McGowan.

“Cameron has looked very good,” said Stevens, who added that coaches would decide late Thursday who would kick. “A couple days ago, he was looking forward to his first game being against Madison Central, not Brookhaven.”

Kicking may not be the biggest concern, but rather fielding kicks.

The Gators fumbled two kickoffs and a punt which led directly to three Southaven touchdowns in the opening game defeat.

“When it comes down to it, championship teams won’t make those turnovers,” Stevens said.

Brookhaven, which battled VHS for a while last season before losing 32-14, features an experienced quarterback in Jimmy Johns. The 6-foot, 2-inch junior is both a runner and a passer. His long touchdown pass in the fourth quarter last week lifted Brookhaven past Hazlehurst.

“He has a lot of skills,” Brookhaven coach Tucker Peavey said. “What he has lacked, though, is consistency.”