Ernest Bowker

The Vicksburg Post

It started with a smoke bomb, continued with some offensive fireworks, and wrapped up with a victory celebration. Warren Central’s home opener, in short, was everything it hoped it could be.

Joe Shorter ran for two touchdowns, Jesse Wilson threw two for 210 yards and a touchdown, and Warren Central beat Natchez 34-18 on Friday night.

The Vikings took the lead less than 90 seconds in — barely enough time for the red smoke to clear from their elaborate entrance through a new, giant inflatable helmet — and they never trailed.

“We wanted to start off fast, because this was our first home game,” Wilson said. “The coaches harped on it all week long, starting it off fast, getting the game over with early, make our point and mark our statement.”

The win was the best kind for the Vikings (4-0) — relatively easy, injury free, and with enough separation to allow them to get some younger players valuable game reps. The second string offense made its first appearance on the third series of the game and saw nearly as much playing time as the starters.

Natchez quarterback Chris Scott completed 19 of 32 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns, all in the second half. He also threw two interceptions and fumbled once, and the Bulldogs (1-2) were never really in the game.

Demarcus Jones broke off a 33-yard touchdown run on the fourth play of the game, and the Vikings were off and running. Wilson hit Shonterrance Walton for a 61-yard TD pass with two minutes left in the first quarter, and Corey Wilson Jr. scored on a 9-yard run midway through the second to make it 20-0.

“A team like that, you can’t give them anything, and we started off early and gave up some big plays to them. That’s all they need. They’re a good team,” Natchez coach Roy Rigsby said. “It took us out of our game plan. We had some injuries that made us alter some things. Against a team like Warren Central, you’re not going to be able to do that. So it was tough sledding after that.”

Natchez finally got on the board in the third quarter, when Christopher Shropshire intercepted a tipped pass and returned it to the WC 25-yard line. Scott then threw an 11-yard TD pass to Shavoké Herrington two plays later.

Warren Central answered with a nine-play, 50-yard scoring drive capped by Shorter’s 1-yard touchdown run. After the teams exchanged three turnovers in a five-play span, Warren Central wound up with the ball in the red zone again and extended the lead to 34-6 on Shorter’s 5-yard touchdown run with 4:32 left in the quarter.

Scott threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter — a 15-yarder to Tydarrius Terrell and a 32-yarder to Daylan Barnes.