FERRIDAY &8212; The Ferriday Trojans won in commanding fashion 41-16 over the visiting University Lab Cubs to advance to the second round of the LHSA 2A state playoffs.

&8220;We lived to die another say,&8221; Ferriday coach James McFarland said. &8220;In the playoffs if you can run the ball well or play good defense you&8217;ll win. Tonight, we did both.&8221;

The Trojans dominated in all phases of the game, rushing for 327 yards and passing for another 77 yards on seven attempts.

&8220;They are bigger, faster, stronger and have better athletes,&8221; University Lab coach John Shoptaugh said. &8220;My hat goes off to Ferriday. They are a very good football team.&8221;

The Trojan ground game was the deciding factor and allowed Ferriday to eat up yardage, while taking time off the clock.

&8220;We did a great job tonight and gave the backs time to do what they do,&8221; Trojan lineman Brelan Cage said.

Behind the Trojan offensive line, Ferriday running backs Montario Tennessee and Matthew Smith combined for 279 yards and four touchdowns.

&8220;The line had the holes so wide open you could have driven a car through them,&8221; Tennessee said. &8220;The whole offensive line did a great job.&8221;

Tennessee rushed for 126 yards on 21 carries and scored two touchdowns. Matthew Smith rushed for a game high 153 yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns and also returned an interception 37 yards to put the Trojans in scoring position.

The Trojans&8217; defensive unit held the University Lab offense to just 11 first downs and forcing two interceptions.

&8220;The defense did a pretty good job tonight,&8221; McFarland said. &8220;I thought it was one of the better performances they had all season.

Ferriday quarterback Kendric Harris put the Trojans on the board first when he connected with Alonzo Booth from 21 yards out, capping a nine-play 80-yard drive on the opening possession.

University Lab answered just over a minute later, when wide receiver Hudson Fuller caught a 40-yard pass.

Ferriday took a 21-9 lead into halftime, thanks to a pair of Tennessee touchdowns.

In the second half it was more of the same, as the Trojans churned out 13 additional first downs and held ran down the clock.

Fight to stay alive was the theme on the Trojans sideline&8217; as both coaches and players both talked about the importance of giving their all to advance to the next round.

&8220;We promised our seniors we weren&8217;t going to let tonight be their last game,&8221; Smith said. &8220;We just got to practice and work hard like we did this week and hope to come out on top next week.&8221;

Next week Ferriday will travel to play St. Charles, which defeated Jewel Sumner 34-0.

&8220;I don&8217;t know much about them, other than they have been battling in the same district with John Curtis, so I&8217;m sure they&8217;re a good football team,&8221; McFarland said.