The Natchez High Bulldogs may be down, but they are certainly not out.

Despite a three game losing streak, head coach Melvin Pete is beginning to see his team come to life.

“I feel a new emerging attitude about it,” said Pete of his team at practice this week. “That is a whole lot better. We just have to be consistent.”

One thing the Bulldogs (3-3) were consistent at last year was, putting up points on this weeks opponent, South Jones (1-5). Natchez won last year’s matchup 67-7.

However, Pete doesn’t want his team coming into the game thinking they’ve already won.

“South Jones is getting better,” Pete said. “They were in some of those games that they lost, and they are playing everybody to the end. What I’m nervous about is getting to the game and not playing up to our potential.”

The biggest question mark for Natchez this week is who will be at quarterback, with Chris Scott suffering an injury in last Friday’s game.

“He’s recovering,” Pete said of Scott. “It is a thumb problem, and it is still swelling a bit and affecting his grip.”

Natchez played Sidney Davis and Anthony Robinson at quarterback in Scott’s absence, and the two will likely be the frontrunners if Scott is unable to go.

Natchez and South Jones are scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff in Ellisville.

Ferriday at Sterlington

After posting a 28-15 victory against West St. Mary last week, the Ferriday Trojans (3-2) are back on track as they head into their matchup against Sterlington.

“We had some good practices,” Ferriday head coach Cleothis Cummings said. “We worked on the little things, more teaching than anything, making sure they know their assignments.”

Sterlington (2-3) enters the game off a 39-22 win against Homer, and Cummings is impressed with what he has seen from the Panthers so far this season.

“They are very disciplined,” he said. “They are well coached, and he’s been doing a great job with them. They run the ball well, and that is something we are focused on stopping.”

It is the district opener for Ferriday and Cummings knows that this game can determine how things go the rest of the year.

“It is very important being the first game of district,” he said. “It can set the tone, especially as far as playoffs.”

Kickoff between the Trojans and Panthers is set for 7 p.m. in Sterlington.

Jena at Vidalia

It is a fresh start for the Vidalia Vikings (0-5) as they open district play today at home against Jena (3-3), and they are hungrier for a win than ever.

“You’re always hungry for a win, whether you’re undefeated or winless,” Vidalia head coach Jeff Hancock said. “What is nice in Louisiana is that if you win district you go to the playoffs. So it is a new season for us, and now we are hitting the important part of the year.”

Hancock said the Vikings had a good week of practice, but he also changed things up, splitting his team in half — half on offense and the other half on defense.

“I think it will benefit us to learn what we are doing a lot better,” Hancock said. “The guys responded well to it. We have five that are still going to go both ways, and there were a lot that were difficult to decide on, but whatever benefits the program the most.”

The Vikings are coming off a 48-0 loss against St. Fredrick, while the Giants enter the game off a 30-20 loss to Delhi Charter.

“Jena is a good team,” Hancock said. “They have a good record and lost a tough one to Delhi Charter, that was a common opponent we have with them. They’ve got some good athletes.”

Kickoff between the Vikings and Giants is set for 7 p.m.