At halftime, the Vicksburg Gators clung precariously to their fading playoff hopes.

Twenty-four minutes later, all they had left to play for was pride.

Callaway’s Carlos Ransburgh ran for three second-half touchdowns to wipe out the Gators’ seven-point halftime lead, and also knocked them out of playoff contention with a 20-13 victory Friday night in Jackson.

Callaway (5-6, 4-2 Region 2-5A) clinched a playoff berth. Vicksburg (4-6, 2-4) lost for the fourth time in five games, and will wrap up the season next week at home against Neshoba Central.

“Like I told the guys, the seniors are still trying to add to their resumé, so you’ve got to come to work,” Vicksburg coach Marcus Rogers said. “And the sophomores and juniors are the future. So correct the mistakes and let’s try to finish with a win.”

The Gators took a 7-0 lead on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Marquez Pickett to Antonio Brown, but a costly fumble inside the 10-yard line opened the door for Callaway’s comeback.

Callaway didn’t score, but Rogers said it shifted the game’s momentum.

“That hurt us bad. It gave them hope,” he said.

Ransburgh tied the game with a 30-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, then went in from 1 yard out to give the Chargers the lead with 3:57 left in the game.

The teams traded quick touchdowns — Ransburgh scored on an 86-yard run and Vicksburg on a 23-yard pass from Pickett to Tedarius Brown — to push the score to 20-13 with less than two minutes to go.

The Gators recovered an onsides kick, but could only get to the 35-yard line before turning it over on downs.

Pickett finished the game 15-of-26 passing for 207 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Kareeme Butler caught six passes for 138 yards — his fifth 100-yard receiving game in a row.

The Gators, though, struggled to run the ball for a second straight game.

“Our defense came to play, and the offense is not getting over the hump,” Rogers said. “All we had to do was move the chains, and we couldn’t do it.”

Callaway 20, Vicksburg 13

Records: Callaway (5-6, 4-2 Region 2-5A); Vicksburg (4-6, 2-4)

Up next: VHS hosts Neshoba Central

Skinny: Callaway scores three times in second half to eliminate Gators from Region 2-5A playoff race