Ferriday Trojans flex in jamboree

Published 11:41 pm Saturday, August 30, 2014

Ferriday High School’s Shannon Morales runs with the football against Vidalia High School during Vidalia’s Jamboree Saturday. Both Ferriday and Vidalia start their regular seasons Friday. Vidalia plays at Delhi high school and Ferriday plays at Natchez High School. (SAM GAUSE | THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT)

Ferriday High School’s Shannon Morales runs with the football against Vidalia High School during Vidalia’s Jamboree Saturday. Both Ferriday and Vidalia start their regular seasons Friday. Vidalia plays at Delhi high school and Ferriday plays at Natchez High School. (SAM GAUSE / THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT)

VIDALIA — In the last jamboree of his high school career, Ferriday High School’s Shannon Morales sent shockwaves in a Vidalia blocker in a 24-0 victory against the Vikings in Vidalia’s jamboree.

The midfield collision was an introduction to the new season and how Ferriday head coach Cleothis Cummings would like to play it.

“We encouraged that physicality,” said Cummings, acknowledging Morales’ blow after Ferriday took a quick 6-0 lead in the jamboree.

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After the win, the senior middle linebacker relished the moment.

“It’s tradition to beat them,” said Morales, who recorded a sack in the contest. “This is my last jamboree, so it was important to me.”

Cummings’ defense fed off of Morales’ hit, forcing Vidalia to go three-and-out, but not before Vidalia’s Johnny Anderson injured his shoulder on a sweep to the right. Anderson left the game and returned to the sideline without his pads, icing his shoulder for the remainder of the contest. Vidalia head coach Jeff Hancock did not have an update on his status after the game.

Before the hit that drove Anderson out, Anderson played defensive back opposite of Ferriday’s 6-foot-5 receiver J’Shon Foster, who reeled in a 30-yard reception on Ferriday’s opening drive. Ferriday did not target Foster again in the jamboree.

In Anderson’s absence, Hancock ran the ball by committee with nine Viking runners totaling 57 rushing yards on 32 rushes.

“Football is a team sport,” Hancock said. “If one guy goes down, the next guy has to be ready to roll.”

Rolling for the Trojans was running back Dontrell Domino, who used his burst to rush for four touchdowns, including the overtime portion of the jamboree that saw both Ferriday and Vidalia produce scores. Domino finished the game with 69 rushing yards on six rushes.

Cummings was not satisfied with the way his team performed against Vidalia’s running game, despite limiting Vidalia scoreless in the two regulation quarters.

“We still need work,” Cummings said. “Vidalia gave us a challenge in stopping the run, and we’re going to work on becoming more disciplined against the run.”

Ferriday’s Ronald Williams completed five of six passes for 74 yards. Vidalia did not complete a pass.

The Trojans will play at Natchez Friday to officially begin the season, while Vidalia travels to Delhi.