Block to host Ferriday

Published 12:12 am Thursday, September 8, 2011

Block High School’s Vashawn Davis gets past Vidalia High School defenders during their game Friday night at Vidalia. Block won 40-14. (Eric Shelton \ The Natchez Democrat)

JONESVILLE — For Block High School, it’s one down and one to go.

After beating Vidalia High School 40-12 last week, the Bears turn their attention to Ferriday High School, the one team standing in their way of a Concordia Parish conquest.

Block head coach Benny Vault Jr. said the idea of beating the two other Concordia teams plays into the Vidalia and Ferriday matchups in a big way.

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“When I was growing up playing at Block, these guys pretty much dominated us,” Vault said. “After I left, I watched them dominate us a little bit more.

“I always vowed that I wanted to come and even the score with Vidalia and Ferriday.”

That’s also something he’s tried to get his players to buy into, Vault said.

“It’s a rivalry, and these kids get up with it,” he said. “I always try to play up the history a lot, so it does have some significance. Plus, there are a lot of people from Ferriday and Jonesville that work at various places, so you can talk about (the game) all year.”

Ferriday head coach Richard Oliver said his team is focusing on improving in all facets of the game after last week’s disappointing 19-0 loss to Natchez High School.

“We have to get a lot better,” Oliver said. “We have to take care of the little things. We had kids going every way but the right way.”

Oliver said the little things include cutting down on penalties, missing assignments, dropping punts and snapping the ball over the punter’s head.

“Stuff that gets you beat,” Oliver said.

For Block, the focus is simply trying to get even more familiar with the Wing-T offense Vault likes to run.

“It isn’t a secret what we’re going to do,” Vault said, “so we’re working on running. We want the game to be physical.

“Basically, we just take whatever they give us. No matter what you do, you’re always going to give away something. We might not run but four or five plays a game.”

And Vault admits he’s not there to wow spectators with a high-flying offense.

“It’s not exciting football,” Vault said. “We just try to bang it up 3 or 4 yards and get ready for the next play.”

Oliver said he’s expecting to face a team that has both size and athleticism in Block.

“Coach Vault does a good job of running the Wing-T, so we’re going to have to tighten down a bit,” Oliver said. “We’re not going to change too much, but they like to grind it out a lot more (than NHS).”

Vault said he’s also expecting to see the same out of Ferriday.

“They’re fast, and they have the tradition of being tough,” Vault said. “Vidalia was big, but they didn’t have a lot of overall team speed. Ferriday has both, so they match up with us really well. It’s going to come down to who wants it the most.”

Kickoff at Block is at 7 p.m. Friday.