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GAUTIER — Gautier High School senior quarterback Trey Irving threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Kasin Thomas with about two minutes remaining in the game as the Gators held on for a 36-30 win over the Natchez High School Bulldogs in the first round of the 2024 MHSAA Class 5A South State Playoffs.

It was a disappointing loss and a tough way for Region 3-5A No. 4 seed Natchez High to end its season. The Bulldogs overcame a 22-12 halftime deficit to take a 24-22 lead into the fourth quarter. But in the end, the Gators found a way to win and keep their season going.

“We played Bulldog football for 46 minutes. We had one lapse that allowed them to score late and we ran out of time,” Bulldogs head coach Steve Davis said. “I’m really proud of my guys. They left it all out on the field tonight.

“We knew what to do win tonight and we almost did it. But almost doesn’t count.”

Natchez High senior quarterback Kaden Walton threw a touchdown pass early in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead. But Gautier’s defense came through with a safety later on in the quarter, which led to Irving’s 31-yard TD run with about two minutes left in the opening quarter for a 9-6 Gators lead.

Kameron Morgan scored from one yard out to give the Bulldogs a 12-9 lead, but that lead would not last long. Irving scored on a two-yard run and later threw a 6-yard TD pass to Sebastian Gonzalez for a 22-12 Gautier lead at halftime.

However, the resilient Bulldogs responded in the third quarter with two touchdown runs, one of them from 10 yards out by Carl McDonald and a defense which shut out the Gators for that 24-22 lead.

The Gators took a 30-24 lead with nearly nine minutes left in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard TD pass from Irving to Devon Garrett and Irving’s two-point conversion run. Walton’s 1-yard TD run with about four minutes remaining tied it at 30-30, but the try for two failed to keep it tied until Gautier won it in the remaining two minutes.

“Kaden Walton played a helluva game. Carl McDonald as well. A lot of guys played real good tonight. Too many to name,” Davis said. “We knew coming down, Ashton Minor, Ken Chatman, Jekari Douglas, and Kristin Hardin, we took advantage of having them. When they tried to stop the pass, Carl got loose and did his usual thing.”

Davis also said that this was a tough way for his senior class of Bulldogs to go out, but he was happy for what they brought over the years.

“I’m thankful for this senior class and what they gave me and the football program. We’ve been through a lot. We’ve done a lot. We fell short of our goals, but a lot of them will have a lot more football to play after this,” Davis said.