Stage two of the Vicksburg Gators’ football season begins tonight at Memorial Stadium when the Callaway Chargers visit for the Region 3-4A opener.

Vicksburg (2-1) finished the first stage of its season by recording its second straight shutout in blanking Hazlehurst 28-0 last week. The Gators won handily without Mississippi State recruit Delmon Robinson, who sat out with an ankle injury suffered in the Gators’ 7-0 win over Warren Central two weeks ago.

Vicksburg coach Alonzo Stevens said Robinson is back for tonight’s game, but his team will be without Les Lemons, who replaced Robinson in the backfield against Hazlehurst.

“Delmon’s ready but Les is going to sit. He bruised his thigh in the Hazlehurst game. We ran Les in Delmon’s spot last week, so we’re just switching them back. Coach (Jackie) Williamson has some young guys he wants to look at the receiver spots and we’ll have Delmon take over Les’ spot on defense.”

Lemons has been the Gators’ top receiver this season with 10 catches for 125 yards. He also had 75-yard interception return to provide the game’s only score in the WC game.

The Gators defense could get to feast on another weak offense. The Chargers (0-3) have scored just 12 points this season, including just one touchdown. The top scoring threat has been kicker Jabril Smith, who has booted two field goals, one each in losses to Murrah (27-9) and Provine (42-3). The Chargers lost 20-0 to Jim Hill last week.

Stevens, though, knows its just a matter of time before new coach Bennie Tillman turns around the Callaway program.

“Bennie is a heckuva coach and he’ll have those guys playing to their potential. They have one of the biggest teams we’ll see. The tackles are over 300 pounds and the guards are both 270,” Stevens said.

The goal for the Gators is to continue building on what they started in the first stage of the season.

“We’ve been very good in the fourth quarter, it’s been our best quarter, where last year we lost four games in the last quarter,” Stevens said. ‘We’re starting our second season and we were 2-1 in our first season. We could’ve won all three games but that’s over and done with.

“I’ve been very pleased with our effort. Last week we were able to score every time but once when we got into the red zone and that’s a big improvement over the first two weeks. This is the week we hope to put it all together.”

Vicksburg is led by quarterback Stanton Price, who has hit on 35 of 67 passes for 343 yards and 2 touchdowns. John Qualls (7 receptions for 101 yards) and Karlton Winters (2 for 18) will be asked to step up in the receiving role in Lemons’ absence.

The Gator defense is led by linebackers Carlos Williams (33 tackles) and William Henderson (27).