Vicksburg defensive back Marcus Harris tackles Southaven’s Bryan Fitzgerald by the ankles as Gators’ linebacker Peter Frederickson comes flying into the play. VHS will have its hands full tonight with No. 7 South Pike, which beat Warren Central 33-9 last week. (Chad ApplebaumThe Vicksburg Post)

[9/19/03]Vicksburg High is looking for a cure to its early-season woes.

Natchez, a loser of 13 consecutive games, was supposed to be a cakewalk last week for a loaded Vicksburg squad, but the Gators lost 14-12. Perhaps tonight’s game against a talented team like No. 7 South Pike is just what the Gators need.

But Vicksburg coach Alonzo Stevens said it doesn’t matter who the Gators play right now because the problems are all on their own side of the ball.

“We are, right now, our own worst enemy,” a weary, frustrated Stevens said. “We don’t have consistency, and we’ve got too many seniors not to have consistency.”

With 26 seniors on the team, this was supposed to be the year VHS improved upon a disappointing 2002 season, but so far it has started off on the wrong foot again.

Stevens said there’s still reason to hold out hope since district play has yet to begin, but this week’s game against South Pike will be important for getting the team back on track.

“We had a lot of things going on last week, no excuse though,” said Stevens, referring to last Wednesday’s shooting at the school. “You’ve got to get to the maturity level where you understand that you had a tragedy. You had some events that were unexpected that happened, but you’ve got to handle it in the right perspective.

“When you put that helmet on and the lights come on, you’ve got to focus on your task, and we’re not doing it.”

Natchez, which won its second game in 24 tries under coach James Denson, didn’t play a spectacular game, but minimized its mistakes. And the Gators’ mistakes are what doomed them.

Vicksburg fumbled at the goal line, threw an interception inside the 5, dropped countless passes and committed eight penalties.

“We should have won the ballgame. I’m not making any excuses,” Stevens said. “We just didn’t play. They’ve got enough talent that when you don’t play they can sneak up on you. We dropped passes, we fumbled the ball, we jumped offsides same old stuff that’s been haunting us all year.”

South Pike (3-0) boasts a load of speedy talent, including senior tailbacks Quentrelle Green and Jessie Burton.

At 5-foot-7, 160 pounds, senior quarterback Fred Jones may not look like much, but he has all the skills.

“He can throw the football and run the football,” South Pike coach Randall Huffman said. “He does a good job coaching the game, too.”

Last year, South Pike stormed the ball at the heart of the Vicksburg line for a 41-14 win. With nine returning starters on offense, the Eagles again will prove to be a challenge for a Gator defense that has given up an average of 34 points a game.

“They’re a good team,” Stevens said. “South Pike is tough year-in, year-out. They got a good football team this year and we’re going to have to play.”

The Eagles easily handled Warren Central last week, 33-9, and put it to Natchez 47-6 the previous Friday.

But Huffman expects the Gators to bounce back from their shocking loss in tonight’s home opener.

“We have to prepare for everything,” he said. “They can throw the football. They can run the football. They do everything well and they have a lot of weapons.”