VIDALIA, La. — Vidalia was the only game in town Friday night, but what a pair of games it was. The third-ranked Vikings defeated top-rated McCall 55-52, while the Lady Vikings stayed unbeaten in district with a convincing 82-54 win.

Ferriday’s home game with Crowville was postponed until next week because of the bad weather around Crowville.

Natchez’s game at Jackson Provine was also postponed.

It was anything but cold inside the Vidalia gym, however.

The Vikings, coming off a 78-75 loss to Ferriday, had already lost at McCall earlier in the season.

Vidalia led for most of the first quarter before Donald Perry put McCall up 15-14 late in the period.

Ronald Ellis hit a basket with seconds remaining in the quarter to put Vidalia up 16-15 at the end of the period.

A basket by Jarvis Vaughn and 3-point shot by Ronald Ellis put the Vikings up 28-20. Dariel Mays gave Vidalia a 30-22 lead at halftime with a basket.

Vidalia’s Andre Singleton hit two 3-pointers to start the third quarter to increase the Viking lead to 36-24.

&uot;At first we were working to try and set me up from the corner when they wouldn’t let us take it to the hold,&uot; Singleton said. &uot;I just felt confident with the shot. But when they were playing man-to-man, anybody can take it to the hole because of the speed we have to take it off the dribble. If they try and take the charge, we dish it off.&uot;

Vaughn hit three baskets down the stretch as Vidalia led 47-36.

McCall came back in the fourth quarter behind the slick ballhandling of Perry, who hit a 3-pointer with 6:01 remaining to pull the Dragons to within 49-43.

Two Perry free throws cut Vidalia’s margin to 49-47 before Dariel Mays hit two free shots for a 51-47 advantage with 3:54 remaining.

Vidalia then went cold from the free throw line, missing five straight, which enabled McCall to pull to within 51-50 with 2:34 remaining.

Mays hit a free throw to put Vidalia up by three with 2:20 left, but McCall’s Steveland Hodge hit a basket with 48 seconds to play to cut the lead to 53-52 with 48 seconds to play.

Ellis missed two free throws and McCall came down with 38 seconds remaining, but the ball was stripped and went into the hands of Ellis.

After two missed shots, Ellis was fouled with 7.4 seconds to play and hit both free throws for a 55-52 margin.

Perry missed a 3-point shot at the buzzer to end the game.

&uot;If we had made our free throws, it wouldn’t have been that close,&uot; said Ellis, who finished with 17 points. &uot;We knew they’d come after us in the end. This was a big win for us.&uot;

Vaughn led Vidalia (24-3, 3-2) with 20 points.

Donald Perry led McCall (26-7, 4-1) with 19.

&uot;We had to have that one,&uot;&160;said Vidalia coach Robert Sanders. &uot;But we have to play much smarter at the end of a game. Now we have to get some help if we want to win the district.&uot;

Vidalia girls coach Lillian Johnson was having trouble with high blood pressure prior to her girls’ contest with McCall.

Johnson would have no trouble with her blood pressure during the game as the Lady Vikings jumped out to a 23-10 lead and increased that lead to 42-24 at halftime.

Vidalia, which had 22 steals in the contest, led 50-35 after three quarters of play as Brittnay Williams put in a layup at the buzzer.

Vidalia led 60-40 midway through the final period and cruised to the win.

Vidalia improved to 20-5 overall and 5-0 in district.

&uot;That was a good one after the way we played against Ferriday Tuesday,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;I&160;was very pleased with the girls’ performance. They knew they had something to prove.&uot;

Vidalia defeated McCall (24-7, 3-2) earlier in the season.

&uot;I can’t remember the last time we beat McCall like this or swept them,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;And I’ve never been able to use my subs like that against them. But this team is jelling well together. They have played together since junior high, so they know each other well.&uot;

Natalie McGraw led Vidalia with 21 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

Wendy Paul netted 16 points for the Lady Vikings, while Brendy Ellis added 15 and Williams 11.

Ellis also had 10 rebounds and seven steals.

McCall was led by Annie Hicks with 19.

Oriel Oney added 14.