For a fleeting moment in the third quarter, it looked like Vicksburg was going to defy the football gods.

Everything seemed to be going wrong, but the Gators still managed to claw out from a deep hole to get back into the game. Marquez Pickett gift-wrapped an interception on the very first play from scrimmage. A controversial call right before halftime denied Vicksburg a fumble deep in Titan territory. Even when something went right, like when Paul Wilson hauled in an interception to give his team the ball down one score, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty backed it up 15 yards.

In a game that seemed doomed from the start, the tide rapidly turned in favor of the home team. Wilson’s pick gave Vicksburg possession down seven points early in the second half. After two quick rushes, Pickett launched a 50-yard bomb to Jeff Scott to put VHS in a position to tie the game.

But that’s apparently when the football gods had seen enough.

After seizing all of the momentum trapped inside Memorial Stadium, the Gators fumbled on the ensuing play. Ridgeland scooped up the loose ball and cashed it in for a 65-yard touchdown, jumpstarting a 35-20 VHS loss.

“The tale of our season so far. Turnovers. We’ve had turnovers all year and it came back to bite us in the end,” coach Marcus Rogers said. “We’re driving, trying to tie it up, momentum going our way and the turnover bug bites us again. I hate to keep saying it, but we’re killing ourselves.”

Ridgeland struck first with a touchdown pass after Pickett’s interception, but the senior redeemed himself shortly after with an 11-yard screen pass to Kareeme Butler to knot the game at seven. The Titans answered right back, however, with a 21-yard rush by Ja’Bril Haymon to take the lead for good.

Haymon torched Vicksburg’s otherwise solid defense for 168 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries, including eight straight touches punctuated by a 5-yard score.

“When we were watching film we said if there is one guy we had to stop, it’s No. 1,” Rogers said. “He looked real smooth. I like the way he runs the ball. We’ve just got to get back to the drawing board and correct some things.”

The fumble sucked the life out of the Gators’ sideline and sparked 14 unanswered points from Ridgeland. And while Pickett threw for over 100 yards in the second half, ending the day 12-of-25 for 149 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, it was not enough to overcome the turnovers and mistakes.

“The best defense is an offense that’s moving the chains. Until we can move the chains and get some positive plays going, we’re going to continue to get the same results,” Rogers said. “We must move the chains. We’ve got to keep the sticks moving.”

Vicksburg (3-4, 1-2 Region 2-5A) will have little time to dwell on its second straight defeat, though, as it hits the road to face Canton (2-4, 0-3) next Friday night.

“We’ve got a goal that we set earlier this year and it’s still achievable and it’s still right there for us,” Rogers said.