Gulfport’s season ends in heartbreak as they fall 21-13 to Brandon

The Gulfport Admirals’ quest for back-to-back Class 7A state championships came to an end Friday night as Brandon rallied in the second half to knock off the defending champions 21-13 in the opening round of the MHSAA playoffs.

Gulfport came out strong, setting the tone early with a defensive stop. Lawrence “Juice” Robertson delivered a big tackle to force a Brandon turnover on downs and give the Admirals possession.

Quarterback Jackson Wolverton connected with Ja’Vious Hales on a contested catch to move the chains, and Hales came up with another big play on the next possession, breaking multiple tackles to get Gulfport into the red zone.

The Admirals wasted little time capitalizing. Wolverton found Amijai Frederick, who powered his way into the end zone for the game’s first touchdown. Gulfport took a 7-0 lead with four minutes remaining in the first quarter.

The Admirals’ defense continued to deliver, getting a hand on a Brandon field goal attempt to keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard.

In the second quarter, Wolverton rolled out and found Trevor Frost downfield for another big gain. Although Gulfport couldn’t turn the opportunity into points, the defense came through again.

Robertson forced a fumble on Brandon quarterback Sladen Shack, and Jaden Jones recovered for the Admirals to give them another opportunity.

Frederick helped move the chains with a big run, and Gulfport eventually added to its lead with a Shaw Killebrew field goal to make it 10-0.

Brandon managed to respond just before halftime, as Shack connected with Josh Parker on a deep pass for a touchdown. The Bulldogs cut the deficit to 10-7 heading into the break.

However, the second half belonged to Brandon. The Bulldogs found their offensive rhythm, scoring 14 points while holding Gulfport to just a field goal.

Despite a strong start and a halftime lead, the Admirals couldn’t regain control as their season came to an end with a 21-13 loss.

It marks a disappointing finish for the defending state champions, but Gulfport closes the season with plenty to be proud of, including an outstanding group of seniors who helped leave their mark on Admiral football history.