NATCHEZ — Vidalia High School was on the wrong side of a blowout Friday night against Block High School.

After a 40-12 loss at the hands of the Bears, head coach Gary Parnham was left questioning his team’s toughness.

“Block’s a good team, but we just didn’t get after it,” Parnham said following the game. “We played scared, and we just can’t play this game like that.”

The Vikings showed some success running the football, finishing with 157 total rushing yards. Running back Jamale Davis led the Vikings, tallying 62 yards on 18 carries.

Parnham said despite the tough loss, he was going to keep working to find out how to build his players’ confidence.

“We just have to get back at it and work hard,” Parnham said. “(The coaches) have to put it to them, and we just have to get tough.

“Confidence is going to come when we get successful and start becoming successful on blocks, (and when we start seeing) individual success. Once we can do that, we can start being successful as a team.”

Cathedral Hgh School

Cathedral High School fared better in its blowout game, taking it to Loyd Star 56-7 for the Green Wave’s home opener. Quarterback Caleb Upton was 15-for-26 with 342 yards and six touchdowns.

Carl Hammitte led Cathedral in receptions with five catches for 136 yards and a touchdown. Khalil Brice had four receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

Running back J.D. Ealey had four rushes for 148 yards and a touchdown. But perhaps Cathedral’s biggest unsung hero was linebacker Matthew Rymer, who had six tackles, six assists and one interception.

“That’s big for us, because we have nine to 10 seniors that, instead of them going both ways, they can rest while guys like (Rymer) play defense,” Green Wave coach Ron Rushing said.

“He always plays hard, and he’s getting experience and is out there handling the running game. He, Tyler Flemming and Kyle Bradley have done really well (at linebacker).”

Rushing also singled out Brice and Peyton Jenkins on defense.

“They’re (listed as) safeties, but they were basically walk-up ends (Friday). They did a good job,” Rushing said.

Adams County Christian School

Adams County Christian School got its first win of the season, defeating Riverdale 35-12. The Rebels had 301 yards rushing on the night, capped by Christopher Perry’s 121 yards.

ACCS head coach Hunter McKeivier said he wouldn’t allow his players to get down despite starting out 0-2.

“You tell them all great teams keep fighting,” McKeivier said. “In football, you get better every single week and every single day. We’re doing that, and we have to keep doing that and everything will work out for the best.”

McKeivier said he was particularly pleased with his offensive line play, and said his entire team responded well to his challenge before the game.

“I challenged every single one of them to be physical,” he said. “I was disappointed in the first two games that we weren’t being physical and driving people off the line of scrimmage. They stood up to that challenge and really impressed me.”