FERRIDAY — The first quarter of Tuesday night’s game between Natchez High and Ferriday was one that the Lady Trojans’ players, as well as head coach Lisa Abron, would like to just forget.

Ferriday turned the ball over 10 times in the opening eight minutes of the game and trailed 23-6 to the Lady Bulldogs at the end of the quarter. Despite a valiant effort in the second and third quarter, the Lady Trojans lost to their cross-river rivals 63-43.

“Before the game started, I told them in order for us to win we have to control the boards and we did not. We haven’t faced a team like that this year,” Abron said. “We knew what we were going to have to face tonight. I tip my hat off to Natchez High. We tried several defenses (to contain them). We really did.”

One player in particular that Ferriday could not slow down on this night was post player Jasmine Belton, who led all scorers with 30 points. Keosha Bradley also had a good game for Natchez High (8-8) as she finished with 13 points.

“Belton controlled the boards herself. She got a lot of put-backs and a lot of open looks down low,” Abron said. “We didn’t do our assignments properly. They did a good job on the inside. They have good shooters. They have a nice inside game.”

Ferriday (11-7) cut into Natchez High’s lead during the second and third quarters, but still trailed by 13 points at the end of the third quarter. But the Lady Trojans played the fourth quarter much the same way they did in the first quarter with costly turnovers and missed shots.

Chante Poole led the Lady Trojans with 14 points while T’Keyah Fletcher had 12 points and Jasmine Bulter had 11 points.

“Second and third quarters, I though we did well in climbing back. But we didn’t shoot the ball well. We missed a lot of lay-ups. Their press was okay,” Abron said.

Both teams return to action this Friday. Natchez High hosts Terry in a Division 6-6A game while Ferriday will travel to Jonesville to take on Block.

ACCS 43, WCCA 25

NATCHEZ — Kaitlan Melton and Marlee Wadsworth combined to score 29 points — four points more than WCCA had as a team — in leading the ACCS Lady Rebels to an 18-point win over the Lady Rams Tuesday night in MAIS District 5-AA action.

Melton led all scorers with 16 points while Wadsworth poured in 13 points for ACCS (16-6, 2-1), which jumped out to a 15-4 lead at the end of the first quarter and then held WCCA without a single point in the third quarter en route to a 35-9 lead.

“The kids did a great job. They came out with a lot of intensity and a lot of heart. Probably the best game we’ve played all year,” Lady Rebels head coach Melanie Hall said.

Terri Fisher led WCCA (6-10, 0-2) with 13 points and Caroline Walker had eight points.

WCCA returns to district play on Friday when it hosts Central Private while ACCS steps out of district action that same day when it hosts Amite School Center.

Franklin County 58, West Lincoln 15

MEADVILLE — After losing for just the second time this season, this time to Poplarville at the Picayune Tournament a week ago, the Franklin County Lady Bulldogs returned to action Tuesday night and showed no mercy on West Lincoln in a 43-point win.

Franklin County, ranked No. 4 in the Clarion-Ledger’s latest Class 3A girls’ poll, used its defense to overwhelm West Lincoln. The Lady Bears not only had problems with scoring, but also with taking shots. They scored no more than six points in any of the four quarters. And those six points were in the first quarter.

CeeCee Miller led the Lady Bulldogs (9-2) with 11 points. Even though she was the only player for either team to score in double figures, 10 of her teammates got in the scoring column. Sabrina Brown had nine points while Vintrice Briggs and Briana Grayson each scored six points.

Hannah Knouse and K. Easley led West Lincoln with five points apiece.

Jena 51, Vidalia 30

JENA, La. — Kizzy Coleman scored 15 points and Bona Field had 11 points as the Jena Lady Giants used a big third quarter to defeat the Vidalia Lady Vikings Tuesday night in District 3-3A action.

Vidalia went into this game still searching for its first win of the season. And there was some glimmer of hope that this would be the night as the Lady Vikings led Jena 7-5 at the end of the first quarter.

But that, and the lead, went away not long after the second quarter began. Jena was almost unstoppable in that quarter as the Lady Giants outscored the Lady Vikings 30-5 to take a 35-12 lead at halftime. Had it not been for that offensive explosion by the home team in that quarter, the outcome would have been much closer.

Gabby Wagoner led Vidalia (0-12, 0-2) with a game-high 17 points.