During a muddy, misty, cloudy evening in Vidalia, defense reigned supreme.

Ferriday, Vidalia and Tensas high schools played a three-team jamboree that saw a total of four touchdowns.

The format pitted each team against one another in a 12-minute period.

The afternoon started with host Vidalia knocking off Tensas 7-0. In game 2, Ferriday out-rushed Tensas to a 14-0 win. In the final game, Trojan running back Dominique Jackson broke a stalemate with an approximately 56-yard touchdown on a screen pass.

On first-and-10 from the 44-yard line, Jackson said he was an outlet option for Ferriday quarterback Ronald Williams in case the Trojans’ senior quarterback felt pressure.

“I ran to the flats — I had nobody to block, and the blitz was coming so (Williams) dumped the ball off,” Jackson said.

Jackson outran the rest of the Viking defense, broke a tackle at around the 20-yard line and ran in for the score.

The touchdown was his third on the day. Jackson scored against Tensas on a 4-yard and a 3-yard run.

Jackson, a senior, got the start over Malik Hampton, who rolled his ankle on the sideline before the game.

Ferriday head coach Dwight Woods said there was not much cause for concern regarding the injury to one of Ferriday’s offensive playmakers.

“We definitely like to run between the tackles,” Woods said. “We sat some kids this week and limited a few kids. … I think overall it was a good showing for everybody.”

Vidalia head coach Jeff Hancock said he was satisfied with his team’s intensity in the first full-speed scrimmage of the offseason.

Vidalia running back Joshua Pace scored Vidalia’s lone touchdown of the night against Tensas, a 2-yard run.

On defense, linebacker Curtis Collins picked up a sack in both games. Linebacker Tony Tolliver hauled in an interception on a two-point conversion. The Vidalia defense held Ferriday to 97 yards, half of which came on a single play.

“Our defense is going to be the biggest improvement this year,” Hancock said. “Those guys were mostly freshmen last year, and now their sophomores and juniors who play 10 to 20 games.”

Ferriday targeted a handful of medium-range passes to its 6-foot-7 standout Dare Rosenthal. The former Alabama commit caught one pass for 12 yards and was targeted on a two-point conversion that was called back after a penalty. He only played in game 3.

Williams was 2-for-9 passing in game 3, and Woods said this week the offensive line will focus on protecting the quarterback.

“We saw some opportunities that we missed, and we can always get better,” Woods said. “I haven’t had a chance to work with the line a whole lot.”

Hancock said offensively he wants to focus on establishing the run, since he’s confident in his passing game after 7-on-7 scrimmages this summer. The third-year head coach said his team sometimes struggled sealing all of its blocks when the opposing defense blitzed its inside linebackers.

“I know we can throw the football, but in the summer, you do 7-on-7 and don’t work on the run game,” Hancock said. “I’m pleased with where we’re at.”

Woods confirmed Ferriday junior Dantrieze Scott is suspended for the first two games of the season, per an LHSAA transfer rule.

Both schools kick of their seasons Sept. 2. Vidalia will host Sicily Island High School, and Ferriday hosts Carroll High School.