NATCHEZ — First-year Natchez head coach Melvin Pete was surprised to hear that the Bulldogs had never lost a game to Ferriday in the two schools’ recently rekindled rivalry.

“Never lost a game?” he said. “Come on, how many years has it been? I had no idea that was the case.”

Soon, that statistic will not be news to him as his Bulldogs prepare to take on the Trojans in their yearly bragging rights battle.

Despite the recent struggles, Ferriday head coach Cleothis Cummings and his team aren’t going to let the past ruin a chance at winning this year.

“Our kids don’t get down,” Cummings said. “We’ve got to get ready to compete. It isn’t going to put a damper on our season, it is just a game we’ve got to play and compete in.”

Last season, Natchez walked away with a 36-22 win, but times have changed. This will also be Ferriday’s first game of the season, which provides Pete with an even bigger problem.

“The biggest problem is we don’t have any film on them,” he said. “Some of our players went to a game (Ferriday jamboree) and tried to get some reports. The only thing I’ve really been able to go off is the game from last year.”

Even though Pete doesn’t have a lot to work with, he still knows Ferriday can be a dangerous opponent.

“The respect is there as far as Ferriday,” he said. “We know they’ve got good kids, two running backs and a receiver that is really big that we have to contain. Defensively, we expect them to fly around the ball a lot. That is what they normally do.”

Cummings also knows that defeating the Bulldogs will be no easy task.

“They are very athletic and they’ve got some playmakers,” Cummings said. “Like Sidney Davis, he is very smart and football intelligent. John Ferguson is a speed back and can run low to the ground. He runs behind his blocks and can do a lot of things with the football. Those are some guys who we are going to have to limit touches.”

Pete and the Bulldogs have started the season on the right foot, going 2-0, and Pete said he is happy with what he has gotten out of the team so far.

“I’m happy that we are fighting to the end,” he said. “That is what we learned about our team last week, but we are still learning.”

But Ferriday is ready to finally take the field, and the Trojans will get a tough test to get things started.

“The kids are excited about the opportunity to play Natchez,” Cummings said. “We feel pretty good going into it.”

The game also promises to draw one of the larger crowds of the season.

“A lot of people from that side of the river are friends and family with everyone on this side of the river,” Cummings said. “It is a good across the bridge rivalry. It will be a live and exciting atmosphere.”

Natchez and Ferriday will kickoff at 7 p.m. Friday.