Ferriday holds off Vidalia by Joey Martin - posted Wednesday, September 19th, 2012 @ 11:32 am  E-mail Story |  Print Story  It's been that kind of year for first-year Ferriday coach Cleothis Cummings. Cummings was doused with the ice water bucket after getting his first-ever coaching win against arch-rival Vidalia, 21-14 Friday at Melz Field. And then he had to carry the bucket off the field. "Oh well," Cummings said before a player ran up to get the bucket before he reached the end zone. "It's great to get a win. And when you are a Trojan you always want to beat Vidalia. I love these kids. They rose to the occasion." Both teams entered the contest with 0-2 records for the first time ever in their long series, which Ferriday now leads 28-15-1. The game was far from some of the previous classics played between both teams, as Vidalia had 10 penalties for 90 yards, while Ferriday had 10 penalties for 85 yards in a game that lasted longer than two-and-a -half hours. The Trojans managed to run out to a 14-0 lead despite totaling 42 yards in the first half. Ferriday's Marquis Brown recovered a fumble at the Vidalia 33-yard line with 6:38 remaining. Eight plays later, Jarvis Brooks ran the ball in from five yards out to give the Trojans a 6-0 lead after the conversion failed with 4:34 remaining. Vidalia then fumbled the kickoff and Rayden Jefferson scooped it up and returned ti 25 yards for a score. Brooks ran in the conversion for a 14-0 advantage with 4:22 to play in the first half. Vidalia was playing without injured junior quarterback Michael Whitley, so Jonterris Townsend and Stewart Mallory lined up by each other in the backfield, both with hands extended for the snap. Ferriday was without quarterback Shannon Morales and running back/linebacker Dontrell Domino. Townsend, who finished with 165 yards on 29 carries, took the majority of snaps on a 73-yard drive that saw the Vikings move the ball to the Trojan 1-yard line, only to be stopped their on fourth down. After Brooks was stopped for no gain, Vidalia's Torrey Smith, Charles Albert and Cole Cangemi tackled Brooks in his own end zone for a safety. Vidalia then marched 55 yards, converting a fourth-and four at the Ferriday 17 as Mallory carried Trojans to the first down line. Mallory then scored on a 7-yard run to bring the Vikings to within 14:08 with 4:36 remaining in the second quarter. Vidalia got the ball back and marched 39 yards on 13 plays as Dee Whitley scored from one yard out with 1:16 remaining in the first half to tie the game at 14-14. The only score of the second half came with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter as Ferriday's Jaylen Neal broke loose on a 66-yard TD run. "I saw a big hole from the offensive line and just hit it," said Neal, who finished with 116 yards on eight carries. Ferriday faced fourth-and-two own 49-yard line with two minutes remaining when Trey Hall took the snap in punt formation and ran four yards for a first down. "Coach (James) Woodard called that," Cummings said. 'He told me would could get it and I have all the trust in the world in our coaches." Neal then scampered 32 yards, but a penalty moved it back to the Trojan 31. On fourth down, Vidalia recovered a Trojan fumble at the Viking 36. Vidalia moved it to the Ferriday 43 with seven seconds remaining where a desperation pass was intercepted. "We just have to keep our heads up," said Vidalia coach Gary Paul Parnham. "We can't let down or let up. We had them on the ropes at halftime, but didn't finish that off. We have to get over the hump, and the only way to do that is get a win to get some confidence." "We're still making a lot of mental errors," Cummings said. "But they are correctable. We have to focus on getting better in the little things." Ferriday hosts Wilkinson County Friday for Homecoming, while Vidalia hosts Bolton. Vidalia's Homecoming is September 28 against Baker High.