FERRIDAY — Friday night’s matchup between Vidalia High School and Ferriday High School can be summed up with two “P’s”: punting and penalties.

Offensive ineptitude by Vidalia forced the Vikings to punt seven times for 240 net yards in punting. Meanwhile, despite coming out on top 41-6, the Trojans (1-2) were penalized a total of 14 times for 150 yards.

Ferriday head coach Chad Harkins said he was pleased with the win, but added that his team needs to improve on the mental mistakes.

“We needed a win. It’s the first of the year, and we had to get over the hump,” Harkins said.

“I felt like some of the penalties were just, and some were unjust, but we have to work on the ones that were just. We have to correct the dumb mistakes by the time district play rolls around.”

Vidalia (0-3) had a total of just five yards on offense, thanks to having 34 yards passing but minus 29 yards rushing. Vikings head coach Gary Parnham Jr. said tackles were the main culprit in allowing Ferriday to score so many points.

“We’re not carrying what we’re doing in practice over to our games,” Parnham said.

“Our offense is non-existent. We’re having breakdowns in one or two spots on offense, and it’s hard to run an offense when you’re running for your life.”

De’Vante Scott, who finished with 169 yards rushing on just eight carries for the Trojans, scored the first touchdown of the game on a 59-yard carry with 8:44 to go in the first. He added a four-yard touchdown run with 1:22 left in the first.

In the second quarter, Ferriday quarterback ZuRaine Thompson hit Alfred Brown on back-to-back passing plays. The first one was a 53-yard reception that put Ferriday on the Vikings’ 17-yard line. The Trojans ran the same play on the very next down, and Brown snagged Thompson’s 17-yard touchdown pass to put Ferriday ahead 20-0 at the half.

Scott tallied his third and final touchdown of the night on a 15-yard run in the third quarter.

Marques Lewis took over the running duties for Ferriday, finishing with 146 yards of his own and one touchdown run. The touchdown came with 5:42 left in the third quarter when Lewis overcame a bad snap and made several Vikings’ defenders miss tackles en route to a 39-yard scoring play.

Vidalia’s lone touchdown of the night came on a strange play in the fourth quarter. Ferriday had the ball on the Vikings’ 40-yard line, and the center let the ball drop to the ground, thinking the play was dead. Vidalia’s Jamarcus Clay picked the ball up and ran it 60 yards for a touchdown amidst the confusion.

Ferriday responded with its final touchdown of the game, a four-yard carry by Richard Jefferson with 1:37 to go in the game.

The Trojans delivered many hard hits during the game, and Harkins said he challenged his team to be more physical this week in practice after the loss to Block High School.

“We take a lot of pride in getting physical. That’s been a tradition for Ferriday that we want to continue,” Harkins said.

“Anytime you’re laying hits like that, the receivers have to be thinking in the back of their minds what’s coming (if they catch the ball).”

And if the Vikings are going to turn their season around, Parnham said they would have to start matching other teams’ physical play.

“Football is a physical game and you have to be physical back. Right now, we’re not doing that,” Parnham said.