VIDALIA — Block and Vidalia played for 48 minutes on Friday night.

But the Bears only needed 3:31 to put a beat down on the Vikings in the season opener for both teams.

Block scored four touchdowns in the final 3:31 of the first half to turn a close game into a blowout en route to a 35-0 victory.

“We started the game off sluggish, which is kind of expected being the first game,” Block head coach Benny Vault said. “But when we got it going in the second quarter, the kids started feeling confident and we got the offense clicking.”

Vidalia coach Dee Faircloth was quite succinct when summing up the game.

“When you don’t tackle, don’t block and don’t cover anybody, you’re going to be in a bind,” Faircloth said. “(Block) has a fine football team, but we should have played a lot better.”

Vidalia turned the ball over five times in the game, including two lost fumbles on center-quarterback exchanges and two lost fumbles on kickoff returns.

The Vikings also had just 18 yards of total offense in the first half.

“We had two snaps over the quarterback’s head, a couple of penalties that never should have happened and fumbles on the kickoff” Faircloth said. “I guess all next week we’re going to kick off all day long. See if I can find somebody that can catch the ball and run forward a few feet.”

The game was scoreless late in the second quarter when a comedy of Viking errors led to four quick Block touchdowns.

It all started when Vidalia quarterback Caleb Vines couldn’t track down a shotgun snap over his head and Block’s Denman Evans recovered at the Viking 21-yard line.

It took the Bears just one play to punch it in as Chris Collins scampered around the left side for a 21-yard touchdown run.

Vidalia then fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Block recovered at the 41.

A 32-yard run by Antione Bowie set the Bears up inside the 10 and quarterback Curdarius Johnson hit Collins on a 7-yard TD pass two plays later to make the score 14-0 with 2:58 remaining in the half.

After a Vidalia punt, Block struck again quickly, as Johnson found Ladarrius Collins down the sideline for a 52-yard pass play that set up the Bears at the Vikings’ 22-yard line.

Two plays later, Preston Bowman found the end zone from 11 yards out with 40 seconds remaining.

Block wasn’t done scoring, as Vidalia fumbled the kickoff yet again and the Bears took possession at the 29.

A 23-yard pass from Johnson to Collins set Block up at the 2-yard line, and on the final play of the half, Johnson ran it in to make the score 28-0 at the break.

Block added its final touchdown of the game early in the third quarter on a 16-yard Bowman run.

Block (1-0) outrushed Vidalia (0-1) 288 yards to seven and outgained them in total yards 368 to 139.

Bowman led the Bears with 84 yards rushing and two touchdowns while Collins had 55 yards on the ground.

Gary Stewart was the only offensive bright spot for Vidalia, as he caught three passes for 99 yards.

Vault gave credit to the Bears defense for pitching the shutout and keeping Vidalia out of synch offensively the entire game.

“We put a lot of emphasis and stress on our defense,” Vault said. “We’re gelling and expect great things this season. The kids work hard. They deserve this win and I’m proud of them.”

And for Vidalia, Faircloth said there isn’t much the Vikings can do except move on to next week.

“The only positive is that it’s over,” Faircloth said. “All we can do is get better. We’ll try to regroup. That’s all we can do. We’ve got nine games to go.”