FAYETTE — Terrance Thompson and D.J. Polk scored 15 points apiece to lead four Vidalia players in double figures as the Vikings started off the season with a 64-54 win over the Jefferson County Tigers Monday night.

With Jefferson County’s historic run in the football playoffs having just ended, the Tigers struggled in its transition from the field to the court.

And Vidalia took advantage by jumping out to a 16-8 lead at the end of the first quarter and 32-18 at halftime. And while the Tigers came alive offensively in the second half and outscored the Vikings in both the third and fourth quarters, the 14-point deficit was too much to overcome.

Alvin Bell added 11 points and Brandon Bauchman chipped in with 10 points for Vidalia (1-0), which hosts Block next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Jefferson County (0-1) was led by Richard Myles with 12 points and Bouvier Ellis with 10 points. The Tigers host Port Gibson on Friday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Amite School Center boys 55,

Tensas Academy 39

ST. JOSEPH, La. — Tensas Academy was without one of its best players Monday night in junior Ferrel Keahey, son of Chiefs head coach Britt Keahey, after recently breaking his wrist in an ATV accident.

And the absence of the 6-3 junior forward, who may be done for the rest of the season, was felt on both ends of the court in Amite School Center’s 16-point win over Tensas Academy.

One player for the Rebels who was glad not to see Ferrel Keahey on the court was Trevor Coleman, who finished with a game-high 30 points. Amite School Center quickly erased a 2-point halftime deficit and went on to outscore the Chiefs 18-4 in the third quarter for a 38-26 lead.

Blaine Fletcher tried to pick up the scoring for Tensas Academy (0-3) as he finished with 21 points, but no other player scored more than five points. The Chiefs play at Siliman next Monday at 7:30 p.m.

Jefferson County girls 64, Vidalia 26

FAYETTE — James Shaindagle was hoping to start the 2010-2011 season with a win as the new head coach of the Vidalia Lady Vikings. However, they went up against a tough opponent in Jefferson County.

The more experienced Lady Tigers of longtime head coach Flora S. McKnight were too much for Vidalia to slow down Monday night and it showed in a 38-point win.

Haley Turner scored a game-high 13 points while Taylor Mims and Keiquanae Smith each finished with 11 points for Jefferson County (2-1), which led Vidalia 16-6 at the end of the first quarter and 29-9 at halftime.

Christina Moor led the Lady Vikings with six points and Alandra Holt added five points.

Vidalia (0-1) hosts Block next Tuesday. Jefferson County doesn’t play again until Friday, Dec. 3 when it hosts Port Gibson.

Tensas Academy girls 44,

Amite School Center 21

ST. JOSEPH, La. — Tensas Academy had just four players in the scoring column, but that was all the Lady Chiefs needed Monday night to defeat the Amite School Center Lady Rebels.

Amite School Center had no way to slow down Sydney Lee and Brittany Bamburg, who combined to score all but six of the Lady Chiefs’ points. Lee finished with a game-high 23 points and Bamburg had 15 points.

Tensas Academy (2-5) won the game because of its defense in the first and fourth quarters.

The Lady Rebels scored just two points in the opening quarter and their only scoring in the fourth quarter was on a free throw.

The Lady Chiefs jumped out to a 10-2 lead after one quarter of play and put the game away with a dominating 16-1 advantage in the fourth quarter.

The Lady Chiefs hit the road to take on Silliman next at 6 p.m. Monday.