Like all great rivalries, when Vicksburg and Warren Central meet you can throw out the records.
For Vicksburg, that’s a good thing.

The Gators are stumbling into this year’s River City Rivalry game with an 0-6 record following last week’s loss in their MHSAA Region 2-6A opener. They’ve also lost 12 in a row against Warren Central. Throwing out both of those records and trends, and focusing on the rivalry instead, might help them get back on track.

“Rivarly week. Ain’t no records in rivalry week. It’s just who wants it more. They’ve been knowing each other since they were kids. Everybody in the city knows everybody. It’s just football. The Vicksburg and Warren Central game. We embrace it. We’re ready for it,” Vicksburg coach Christopher Lacey said. “At the same time, we win this game and it get us back to where we want to be in the district. All of the goals are still in front of us, so it’s going to be fun.”

Although the Gators have not beaten Warren Central (3-3, 1-0 Region 2-6A) since 2011, they have been close the past few years. The last three meetings were decided by a total of four points, and the last two came down to to the final minute.

Lacey, who graduated from Warren Central in 2007 and played football there, said his inside knowledge of that program has helped turn some of the tide. From 2014-20, Warren Central’s average margin of victory in the series was 27.8 points.

“That’s where I played football at. I’m not going to sugarcoat it or anything. I know what’s going on out there behind the walls. They still run some of the plays they ran when I was in school, so I know what to expect,” Lacey said. “I know what the mindset is going into a game like this. Maybe that’s a plus for us. We’ve just got to use that to be something we can take into the game and finish it.”

All the insight in the world won’t help the Gators if they don’t take a big step forward in executing their game plan. They’re averaging 12.8 points per game on offense.

Penalties and inconsistency have kept the Gators out of the end zone and the win column. Lacey said he’s hoping playing Warren Central dials his players in for four quarters rather than the two good ones they’ve often turned in so far.

“We’re so up and down. Neshoba, we played a great first half and then got pummeled in the second half. Some games we’ve played terrible in the first half and come out and played a good second half,” Lacey said. “I don’t even know what my team looks like in four quarters of doing what we’re supposed to, so that’s what I’m eager to get to.”

The Gators are also in desperate need of a victory to keep their playoff hopes on track.

Falling to 0-2 in a five-game region schedule would almost certainly end their championship hopes, while improving to 1-1 would be a massive boost on a number of levels.

“It’s a big thing. Everybody’s back Mello Yello and then next week Warren Central plays Neshoba, so it’s one of those deals where we’ve got to go out and win,” Lacey said. “We’ve got to win this game. No ands, if, buts about it. We’ve got to go get the dub if we want to be district champs. This is it.”

FRIDAY’S AREA GAMES
All games start at 7 p.m.
Warren Central at Vicksburg (Radio: 105.5/107.7 FM)
Manchester at St. Aloysius (Radio: 101.3 FM)
Porter’s Chapel at Wilkinson County Christian (Radio: 104.5 FM)
River Oaks at Tallulah Academy
Port Gibson at Leflore County
Madison Parish at Ferriday (Thursday)