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Big comeback for Ferriday
This is the eighth in a 30-part series on the top football games played in Concordia Parish.
In a season that saw seven games decided by eight points or less, including three by two points, three Ferriday High games made the list of top 30 games played in Concordia Parish.
And another one, Ferriday's 26-18 win over Block, just missed the list.
"I had some good times at Ferriday," said former Ferriday High coach James McFarland. "There are a lot of great memories."
Coming in at No. 23 saw former Ferriday quarterback Tyrrence Taylor come through in the clutch one more time in a thrilling 18-16 win over Peabody High, which was just coming off a big win over Wossman.
The unbeaten Trojans entered the game with wins over Newellton, Block and Northeast.
It was Homecoming night, but an unexpected guest named Hurricane Isadore was threatening to rain on the parade for the September 27, 2002 contest.
Once in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Isidore became a major Category 3 storm with winds of 125 miles per hour.
The forecasts then predicted Isidore to move westward in the Gulf of Mexico for a few days, before turning northward towards the Gulf Coast as what was predicted by then to be a strong Category 4 hurricane.
Fortunately for area football fans, due to Isidore's unexpected southward turn into the Yucatán Peninsula, Isidore weakened significantly to a tropical storm which limited potential damage along the United States Gulf Coast.
Hurricane watches raised for the United States Gulf coast between Cameron, Louisiana and Pascagoula, Ms., late on the morning of September 24 were discontinued early on the morning of September 25, when the storm was no longer expected to restrengthen into a hurricane.
But Ferriday fans would be on the edge of their seats for another reason when the physically bigger Warhorses from Alexandria rotted onto Melz Field.
Taylor would not see the catch that gave the Trojans the improbable Homecoming win.
But he had a good idea of the results when his high-flying spiral fell into the hands of Brennan Smith for the winning score with less than six minutes remaining in the contest.
"I saw Brennan was matched up one-on-one and Coach told me when that happened to get it to him," said Taylor, who finished the game 15-of-26 for 211 yards.
"I ran out of bounds after I threw it and I was just looking at the crowd, waiting for their reaction. When I heard them screaming I just raced down the sideline to Brennan as fast I could."
"We played Brennan all over the place," McFarland said. "There have been some great athletes at Ferriday, and Brennan ranks right up there with them."
Peabody jumped on Ferriday 14-0 on a 1-yard run by Nathaniel Hill and 38-yard run by Lindell Reed.
Ferriday, sporting brand new uniforms, got on the scoreboard in the second quarter as Taylor threw 24 yards to Theotis Cummings to bring the Trojans to within 14-6.
A bad snap on a punt attempt by the Trojans deep in their own territory led to a safety and a 16-6 deficit at halftime.
"When you go into the lockerroom down at halftime, you feel bad, but you go in and make adjustments to give yourself a chance to get back in the ballgame," McFarland said. "We came back out and did some things differently."
Taylor and Cummings teamed up on a 26-yard TD pass in the third quarter to make the score 16-12.
Peabody drove to the Ferriday 23-yard line after Taylor's Hail Mary pass before turning it over on downs and assuring the Trojans of the win.
"I had some athletes at Ferriday who I made into quarterbacks," said McFarland, who played quarterback at Waterproof High School and at Alcorn State. "Tyrrence was an outstanding athlete who could play almost anywhere on both sides of the ball." |
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