Vidalia boys, Ferriday girls clinch second

Published 12:00 am Saturday, February 12, 2000

FERRIDAY, La. –&160;Vidalia High junior Jarvis Vaughn was not around for the fourth quarter in the Vikings’ 78-75 loss to Ferriday in Vidalia last month.

He certainly made his presence known Friday.

Vaughn scored 14 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Vikings defeated Ferriday 70-50.

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That win clinched second place for the Vikings, who split with Ferriday and McCall

Vidalia, 28-3 and 8-2 in district, and McCall split during the regular season.

Vidalia will host a first round playoff game Feb. 22.

Ferriday (16-9, 7-3) will be a wild card in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Ferriday’s girls handed Vidalia their first district loss of the season, 71-58.

But the Lady Vikings had already clinched the district. The Lady Trojans claimed second place with the win.

Vidalia and Ferriday’s boys stayed close throughout most of the contest.

Leading 46-41 with five minutes to play in the game, Vidalia came up with two steals, the first ending with a Vaughn high-flying dunk and the next in a Vaughn layup.

&uot;This game I played a lot smarter,&uot; said Vaughn, who had three fouls in the first quarter in the two teams’ first district meeting and fouled out in the third period. &uot;I wanted to play so bad. I just got hyped and got into it.&uot;

A technical on Ferriday coach James M. Davis led to two Terrell Williams free throws and Vaughn added three more straight baskets for a 58-41 Viking lead.

&uot;We played much better in the second half,&uot; said Vidali coach Robert Sanders.

Vaughn had two fouls in the first quarter, but only picked up one more.

&uot;Coach just told me to be patient,&uot; Vaughn said.

Vidalia led 9-6 after one period and took a 27-19 halftime lead as freshman reserve A.J. Warner scored all eight of his points in the period.

&uot;A.J. was a surprise,&uot; Sanders said.

&uot;I knew if I missed, coach would be mad and take me out,&uot;&160;Warner said. &uot;I just went out and played hard.&uot;

Ronald Ellis followed Vaughn with 13.

Ferriday was led by Jason Scott with 23.

In the girls contest, Ferriday led 14-12 after one quarter and 37-32 at halftime.

The Lady Trojans then forced several turnovers early in the third period to take a 48-36 lead on baskets by Latasha Cain and LaShawnda Pryor.

&uot;That was kind of ironic,&uot; said Ferriday coach Lisa Abron, who was concerned about Vidalia’s pressure defense going into the game.

Ferriday led 54-45 after three periods, but the Lady Vikings battled back to cut the lead to 56-50 on a 3-pointer by Brittnay Williams. Brendy Ellis pulled Vidalia to within 56-54 with a basket at the 6:16 mark.

But Ferriday scored eight straight, with Torisheka Taylor putting in two baskets to pull back ahead 64-54. Vidalia (25-6, 8-1) did not get any closer.

&uot;I’m just glad we don’t have to have a one game playoff (for second place),&uot; said Abron, whose team improved to 21-10 overall and 6-3 in district,.

The win was the first for Ferriday over Vidalia in five meetings this season.

&uot;This is something we could have done all year,&uot; said Abron, who was a standout player for the Lady Vikings.

Taylor led Ferriday with 18 points, while Monique Jones and Pryor added 13 each and Jessica Griggs chipped in 12. Ellis led Vidalia with 18, while Williams added 15 and Tiyree Riley 10.

Vidalia’s girls will host a first-round playoff game.

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