John Griffing (21) of Vicksburg gets control of the ball as a St. Andrew’s defender runs by. (The Vicksburg Post/MELANIE DUNCAN)

[01/31/01] Tuesday night was certainly not what Josh Harper had in mind for a tune-up for Vicksburg’s playoff run, which starts Saturday in Tupelo.

St. Andrew’s (6-10) scored four second-half goals to lift the Saints, a Class 1A school, to a 4-2 win over the 5A Gators (6-7-2).

The Gators were playing their first game without leading scorer Michael Thornton. The sophomore injured his knee against Columbus and is lost for the rest of the season.

“We switched to the defense we used against Columbus, but they overloaded on offense and had more guys on offense than we did on defense,” Harper said. “… I think at halftime, a lot of our guys had it in their minds that it’s Tupelo now.”

Jeremy Johnson scored a goal 38 minutes into the first half and Victor Parker scored the Gators’ second goal with less than seven minutes to play in the game, but in between, the Saints dominated.

Kazu Takemura scored a pair of goals, while Nick Clark and Aaron Samuels each scored a goal in a 12 minute flurry to open the second half.

“We weren’t focused,” Harper said. “When you’re not focused, it doesn’t matter whether you’re playing Peter Pan High School or Tupelo, you have to stay focused.”

Freshman Sean McGowan pitched a shutout in goal in the first half before being replaced by senior Bobby McComas.

“He’s going to be our keeper next year and he needed some experience,” said Harper of McGowan. “(This loss) is not Bobby’s fault. All of their goals were within about six or seven yards and it doesn’t matter who’s in goal when it’s that close.”

(G) VHS 4, St. Andrew’s 2

On Senior Night, Courtney Chapman and Kim Griffin made the most of their final regular-season home game.

Chapman had two goals and an assist and Griffin added a goal and an assist as the No. 9 Missy Gators (15-4) rolled in preparation for a playoff showdown with Tupelo on Saturday.

“There’s no better way to go out and at home,” said VHS coach Kevin Manton of his seniors.

“I do question our get-up-and-go. We have to go to Tupelo on Saturday and it’s going to be tough.”

Griffin scored 13-1/2 minutes into the game on an assist from Chapman for a 1-0 lead. Neely Nasif assisted Chapman’s first goal late in the first half for a 2-0 lead.

St. Andrew’s (9-5-1) Elizabeth Leake cut the lead in half just 22 seconds into the second half, but Chapman netted her second goal four minutes later for a 3-1 Vicksburg lead.

Nasif netted the final goal on an assist from Megan Kelly less than 14 minutes into the second half.

St. Andrew’s fell to 9-5-1.