Ferriday sets football schedule
by Joey Martin - posted Thursday, February 7th, 2013 @ 9:46 am

Ferriday High football coach Cleothis Cummings has set his non-district schedule for 2013, welcoming two new opponents.

Ferriday opens against Natchez High at Melz Field.

The Bulldogs have opened against Natchez every year since 2009, but have never beaten the Bulldogs.

The Trojans visit Block in Jonesvile the second week, followed by the Concordia Parish rivalry at Vidalia in the third week.

Ferriday welcomes Richwood of Monroe.

The Rams compete in Class 3A and went 4-6 last year.

Ferriday hosts West St. Mary's for the first time in week five.

West St. Mary's, which competes in District 6-2A, went winless last season.

Former Ferriday High assistant principal Derrick White is the principal at West St. Mary's.

"Their coach had contacted me last year, so the fact Derrick is head principal makes it even better," Cummings said.

Ferriday will then begin District 2-2A play.

That district for the next two years will consist of Ferriday, Jonesboro-Hodge, Lake Providence, Oak Grove, Sterlington and Winnfield.

Cummings said he is all for a recent decision by LSHAA principals to split the 2013 postseason into separate "select" and "non-select" brackets.

"I think it's a good thing and it's long overdue," Cummings said. "We don't have a choice about taking a kid or not. Some schools can pick and choose and that's a big advantage for them. Before when it came to playoff time, you knew the top teams would be private schools and it was not a level playing field. I'm happy for us, Vidalia, Block and Franklin Parish. I would love to see our community represented in New Orleans at the end of the year."