VIDALIA — In Jeff Hancock’s first spring game as Vidalia’s head coach, he was hoping to expose his young players to great athletes. In a 48-10 loss to Wilkinson County through two quarters of action involving both team’s starters, Hancock’s young team learned the difference between junior high speed and high school speed.

“We had a lot of eighth graders that played for us tonight, and a lot of them were on the defensive side of the football,” Hancock said. “They figured out that, hey guys are bigger, stronger and faster than they are. They’re going up against older kids, and that quarterback is a special talent. He’s elusive, and those backs are elusive. If you don’t wrap them up, they’re gone.”

Wilkinson County quarterback Desmond Hunter, who played briefly in the third and fourth quarter also, totaled 131 rushing yards on six carries, 431 passing yards and four total touchdowns. Hunter scored the second touchdown of the game on a 75-yard run after eluding tacklers in the backfield to give Wilkinson County a 14-0 lead.

“As long as he can stay level headed, he does a good job,” Wilkinson County coach Kenneth Brown said. “His ability and accuracy with the ball, he’s not a big kid, but he can throw the ball.”

The Vikings struck back on the next series, as Julian Wilson provided a 10-yard run and Wilkinson County penalties set up a 4-yard touchdown scamper by Antione Taylor, making the game 14-7.

However, Wilkinson County would go on to score the next three touchdowns, including an 11-yard Robert Swint rush and a Hunter touchdown pass to make the game 34-7 with 11:14 to go in the second quarter. Hunter spread the ball around, but he found his favorite target, leading receiver Travion Jones on vertical routes, including a 30-yard touchdown pass before the half ended. Jones led the Wildcats in receiving with four catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns.

“He finished up track last week, so he was kind of behind this spring, but we have all the guys it takes to have (an explosive offense),” Brown said.

Down 34-7, Carlos Garcia lined up for a 28-yard field goal and kicked it through the uprights to make the game 34-10. However, a 21-yard run by Swint and the Hunter-Jones hookup before the half put the Wildcats up 48-10.

“I told the team at halftime that I wanted to find the most athletic team that we could face because for us to win our district, we’re going to need to beat the Marksville’s and now the Peabody’s,” Hancock said. “We needed to see that speed now. We have a lot of young players, like Tristan (Weatherly). Windows close a lot faster at this level. The speed of the game is a lot quicker.”

Sharing reps with junior Jordan Mayes, eighth grader Weatherly completed just 2-of-12 passes and threw an interception. Meanwhile, Mayes completed 9-of-18 for 109 yards and a touchdown pass.

In the second half, Mayes found Errick Genous for a 17-yard touchdown, while Wilkinson County continued to score at will, as both teams subbed in replacements throughout the second half. The Vikings and Wildcats didn’t keep score in the second half.