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Story Archives: Closer than expected


Closer than expected
by Joey Martin - posted Thursday, September 24th, 2009 @ 7:57 amE-mail Story E-mail Story | Print Story Print Story 
The Ferriday High School band played "Working Day and Night" by Michael Jackson at halftime of the Vidalia-Ferriday football game Friday night.

"Thriller" may have been more appropriate.

No, it wasn't the classic past Concordia Parish battles have been. The three-hour marathon had enough laundry on the field for a weekend of washing. There were plenty of mistakes on both sides of the field.

But it was entertaining. And a lot closer than most people expected.

After two games in which the Vikings seemed to sleepwalk through the contests and wave the white flag in the second half, Vidalia came out much more enthusiastic and focused.

It certainly seemed to catch the Trojan players off guard, despite Ferriday head coach Freddie Harrison preaching all week about how the Vikings would "bring everything and the kitchen sink."

Vidalia players had some extra incentive in playing for their head coach, who was unable to attend practice all week and missed the game because of an illness. Dee Faircloth recently finished undergoing radiation treatment for prostate cancer and his immune system was so low that he was unable to fight off recent sickness.

That sickness caused him to miss his first football game at Vidalia High, but expect him back this week for Homecoming against Avoyelles.

That should have been enough incentive considering the number of days he has made himself come up to the school for practice when he should have been at home resting.

Faircloth would have certainly been proud of his troops and his assistant coaches.

"It was strange not having Coach Faircloth out there," said Vidalia assistant coach Gary Paul Parnham. "That was the first time I've ever called offensive plays. And you don't realize the small things he takes care of until you have to take care of them yourself."

While I felt Ferriday got the best of Natchez in the interior line in its loss to the Bulldogs, Vidalia seemed to be the aggressor in the trenches against Ferriday.

It was a great lesson for both teams.

Ferriday went into the Natchez and Block games as something of an underdog and seemed ready to put it on cruise control in a contest that had them as heavy favorites. As Harrison has preached all year, you have to be focused each time out.

"I saw where Pete Carroll said you can't get up every week, but I disagree with that, I think you need to get up for a game every week," Harrison said. "You have to go out ready to play. Our team learned that Friday night."

Vidalia saw what four quarters of giving 100 percent can do and should go into its district schedule feeling as good about itself as it has all year.

No, it wasn't a classic battle. But despite the mugginess in the air and the continuous stoppage of play from the fellas in stripes, it was very entertaining.

Speaking of Concordia Parish, thanks to those who have voted on the "Best-ever player in the parish on our Web site (concordiasentinel.com). We're closing in on the 100-vote mark and hope to get at least 100 more by Thanksgiving.

At that time the top five when then go into one poll for final voting, which will end at Christmas.

Wednesday morning, Keith Woodside and Walter Johnson led the way with eight votes each.

Mack Moore Jr., George Cupit and Nathaniel Williams have six votes each. Close behind with five votes each are Donnie Daye, Jarrett Hoffpauir, Shawn Griggs and Max Fugler.

So obviously it's going to be a tight race to the finish and every vote counts.

Be sure to get your vote in so we can make this poll as credible as possible. If it goes over well, we'll have a best team ever and I can tell you now that Johnny "Red" Robertson will have two teams in the mix.

I have added James Jones to the list. The former Ferriday quarterback led the Trojans to the 1984 Class 2A state championship game in which Ferriday lost to John Curtis. J.T. Curtis told me after the game he wished Jones lived close to John Curtis because he was certainly impressed with the Ferriday signal-caller.
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