Vicksburg’s Jill Rush (12) tries to gain control of the ball as Warren Central’s Kari Lieberman defends during the Missy Gators’ win on Jan. 15. (MEREDITH SPENCER The Vicksburg Post)

[1/24/05] The playoffs are here and being at home for the first round suits Vicksburg High coaches Jason Bennett and Kevin Manton just fine.

The VHS girls (11-9-2) will host Hattiesburg on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in a first-round Class 5A game at Memorial Stadium. Following the conclusion of that game, the VHS boys (11-9-1) will take on Picayune in a 5A boys playoff match.

“I’d certainly rather be at home than being Warren Central and having to go to Oak Grove,” Bennett said. “I think we’re set up pretty good because we’ve got a home game to start on Tuesday. We’re playing Picayune, but I don’t know much about them.”

Picayune doesn’t figure to be as tough as No. 3 ranked Pearl, a club the Gators tangled with on Saturday afternoon.

Pearl won 2-0 but VHS played well despite having a couple players sitting out with injuries.

“We had our backup in goal and we were also without our starting stopper who has a broken toe. But I thought we played Pearl, a team that is ranked No. 3 in the state, pretty well,” Bennett said.

Pearl coach Brad Beard whose team is 15-1-2, said VHS could make some noise in the playoffs.

“I saw Vicksburg earlier in the year and they’ve really improved since then,” Beard said.

The Missy Gators, a five-time state champion under Manton, are poised for another run. The VHS girls enter the playoffs following Saturday’s 2-0 win over Pearl.

“I really think we’re set up doggone good for the playoffs,” Manton said. “We open the first round at home against Hattiesburg. Win that and we’ll have to travel in the second round to either Biloxi or Ocean Springs.”