One team’s pleasant surprise is another team’s disappointment.

The Vidalia Lady Vikings (20-4) were thrilled to discover the Louisiana Sports Writers’ Association had ranked them the No. 2 team in 2A girls basketball.

The Natchez Bulldogs (20-2) were not as happy to discover they still held the No. 2 rank in 5A Mississippi boys hoops according to the Associated Press – especially after beating No. 1 Lanier for the second time this season on Friday.

&uot;I really don’t care about polls,&uot; said senior Bulldogs guard Jamal Bouldin. &uot;I care about winning games.&uot;

Junior guard Je’Kel Foster said he has seen different rankings in different polls and doesn’t put much stock in any of them.

&uot;It doesn’t matter to the team if we’re ranked first or last,&uot; he said. &uot;We go out and play hard every night. We just try to be our best.&uot;

Fellow junior Burton Broudy said the No. 2 ranking could be a blessing in disguise.

&uot;Maybe it’s not for us to be No. 1 right now,&uot; he said. &uot;Maybe we need to be No. 2 to make us work even harder.&uot;

Foster knows what it will take to earn the elusive top spot. &uot;We just have to show everybody we play tough, tight games,&uot; he said. &uot;Or win it all.&uot;

The Lady Vikings would like to move up a notch as well, but senior Brendi Ellis is happy to be recognized at No. 2.

&uot;It’s excellent,&uot; she said. &uot;I thought we’d be ranked, but I didn’t think we’d be that high.&uot;

&uot;I was shocked,&uot; said Vidalia coach Lillian Johnson. &uot;But they deserve it. They’ve worked really hard this year to get where they are.&uot;

Johnson said she doesn’t think such early polls are accurate, as some of the better schools may not have sent their statistics to the AP yet.

&uot;We just happened to be one of the schools who did,&uot; she said. &uot;It could change at any time, so we’re happy to bask in this glory for today.&uot;

But with two district games on the horizon with No. 16-ranked rival Ferriday, the Lady Vikings could keep their ranking high with a pair of wins, she said.

Both Ferriday’s and Vidalia’s boys teams are top 10 squads as well. The Trojans (15-6) are ranked No. 7 and the Vikings (15-7) are ranked No. 10.