CLINTON — It took Clinton less than 10 minutes Tuesday to not only put a dent in Vicksburg High’s playoff hopes, but perhaps crush any illusions of postseason glory the Missy Gators might have had at all.

Clinton scored three goals in the first 8½ minutes, then spent the rest of the night thoroughly dominating the Missy Gators while ringing up a lopsided 7-0 victory.

Six different players scored for Clinton (7-2-4, 1-0 Division 3-5A), with Lindsay Macher, Kristen Little and Taylor Maddox collecting a goal and an assist apiece. The Lady Arrows outshot Vicksburg 30-5.

“I’ve got two players that were hurt and can’t play, and two players on the field that were hurt and did play. We pretty much didn’t have any offense. We were playing more of a defensive game to begin with,” VHS coach Kori Babb said. “We work on things in practice and they don’t perform them in the game. We’re just young, and with that inexperience, we’re resorting to our bad habits.”

Although it was the first division game for both teams, the loss was significant for Vicksburg (3-7, 0-1). The first head-to-head tiebreaker is goal differential, with a maximum of three. For two young teams that could be following similar paths this season, it gives Clinton a huge edge as the season goes on.

“I don’t think our young players understand the division and going to the playoffs. They don’t have that competitive edge yet,” Babb said.

Clinton got its first goal on a lucky break, then simply kept on scoring — almost at will, at times.

Six minutes into the game, Macher lined up for a free kick at the 25-yard line. Her shot was headed toward the right until it was deflected back to the left by the defensive wall. VHS keeper Robin Cooper, who had broken right to block the initial shot, could only watch helplessly as the ball bounced into the empty net for a 1-0 Clinton lead.

The goal opened the floodgates for Clinton. Julie Turner scored off an assist from Macher 90 seconds later, and Little added a breakaway goal a minute after that to make it 3-0 just 8½ minutes in.

Clinton poured it on in the second half. Kaylyn Arnold scored in the seventh minute to pad the lead, and an own goal made it 5-0 at the 10-minute mark. Late scores by Maddox and Audrey Neeld only added to the misery.

“After that, it was like we hung our heads,” Babb said of the first goal.

Vicksburg (3-7, 0-1) had a few chances to score. The best was a 40-yard line drive by Tabitha Hayden in the 10th minute that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced just in front of the goal line. Although even Clinton coach Thomas Bobo admitted later it should have been a goal, play continued and the score remained 3-0 until halftime.

“Even my keeper thought it was a goal,” Bobo said with a smile. “I think it certainly allowed us to keep moving with positive momentum, and with a young team like we have who knows what would have happened if they counted that?”