FLOWOOD — Warren Central’s fast start to the season ran into its annual post-Thanksgiving reality check.

Perennial state power Northwest Rankin scored twice in the second half to blow open a close game, and snapped the Vikings’ three-game winning streak with a 3-0 victory on Friday night.

Northwest Rankin beat Warren Central (4-2-1) for the sixth consecutive time. Two of those victories — including one last season — have come in the playoffs. The other three have been in their annual regular-season matchup in late November or early December.

Warren Central coach Greg Head said it was a humbling reminder of the gap that still exists between his program and some of Mississippi’s major boys’ soccer powers.

“We’ve got to go this level and get better. The first half, we had that intensity. We’re going to get there,” Head said. “Last year they beat us 3-1 in the first game and we came back and almost beat them in the playoff game. It takes us a little bit longer because of what we have to work with, but we’ll get there. I don’t like getting beat this bad, but it’s always a good thing.”

Although Northwest Rankin has dominated the series between the teams, winning eight of 10 since 2011, the games themselves have mostly been competitive. Friday was no exception.

Santiago Diosa scored midway through the first half to give the Cougars the lead, and it stayed 1-0 through halftime. Gavin Gaudin scored on a free kick in the 56th minute to give the Cougars some breathing room, and Houston Smith in the 68th minute to ice it.

“The first half we played really well. We’re just not used to this big field and we’re not in shape for this big field, and they dominated the second half. We hadn’t played on the big field in a while and it hurt us,” Head said. “But the first half, it was a good game and I was proud of the way we played. The effort we gave was tremendous. They’re big, they’re fast and they’re strong, and they just wore us down.”

(B) Vicksburg 1, Callaway 0
Jamal Lee, Jr., scored the game’s only goal with five minutes left, and goal keeper Jehari Riley made seven saves to give Vicksburg High a key victory over Callaway on Thursday.

The Gators (4-1, 2-0 Region 4-5A) won their fourth game in a row and swept the season series with Callaway (0-2, 0-2). They can clinch a playoff berth as early as mid-December if they can sweep region foe Ridgeland in a home-and-home series Dec. 7 and 11.

(G) Vicksburg 4, Callaway 0

Haleigh Erwin scored two goals, and Kadameria Caples and Treasure Chiplin had one each as the Vicksburg Missy Gators (3-4, 2-0 Region 4-5A) finished a season sweep of Callaway.

Vicksburg won 5-0 last Tuesday as Erwin scored three goals.

Vicksburg will go on the road Monday to play Pelahatchie.