Vicksburg put up a fight for 2 1/2 quarters Friday night before its defense wore out against Madison Central’s ground-and-pound approach.

The good news for the Gators is that they still control their playoff destiny. Greenville-Weston defeated Jim Hill last week to create a five-way tie for the final playoff spot from Region 2-6A. Had Jim Hill won that game, it would have been in command thanks in large part to a 46-6 throttling of Vicksburg on Sept. 23.

The Gators (3-5, 1-3 Region 2-6A) can make a leap forward if they beat Murrah (4-4, 3-1) Friday in Jackson. Warren Central, Clinton, Greenville-Weston and Jim Hill are all 1-3 in region play.

Warren Central (1-7, 1-3) plays at Clinton (3-5, 1-3) this week, making for a couple of elimination games in the playoff chase.

To stay in the hunt, the Gators must avoid the turnovers and quick three-and-outs that helped Madison Central’s offense control the game in the second half. That’s the approach Gators quarterback Cameron Cooksey wants to take.

“We have to keep working and play steady,” Cooksey said. “We have to start executing better. We didn’t execute well.”

Cooksey had his moments. He tossed three more touchdown passes to give him 30 this season and break the single-season record Warren County shared by three players — Temple’s William Wooley (1970), Vicksburg High’s Ernest Moore (1973) and Porters Chapel Academy’s Hayden Hales (2006).

Cooksey also had 278 passing yards, hitting on 15 of 26 attempts, to give him 2,513 yards and break the single-season record held by Tommy Curtis (Vicksburg High) since 1997.

Lamar Anthony was the Cooksey’s favorite target against Madison, with touchdown catches of 92 and 80 yards. The 92-yarder is the longest play of Cooksey and Anthony’s career.

Madison Central double-teamed A.J. Stamps constantly, but he still managed four catches for 45 yards and one score. He broke the single-season receptions mark of 53 held by former Gator Bunkie Perkins, but the career receptions and single-season receiving yards records are still in play.

Madison Central center Devon Desper said the Jaguars had to keep the ball away from the explosive Gators.

“We knew their quarterback was really good,” said Desper, who has committed to Mississippi State. “We had a tough first half, but swung the momentum there in the third quarter and did a good job of keeping the ball away from them. I think we controlled them pretty well up front.”

That’s something Vicksburg tackle Norman Price would like to see the Gators do. They were tied at 14 until the Jaguars hit a field goal on the past play of the first half. Madison then scored three touchdowns in the third quarter.

“I think the defense started off good,” Price said. “In the second half, they got to us. Our linebackers couldn’t close down.”