The Sicily Island Tigers are expected to have some key players back this week as they get ready to play at Oak Grove High School in an LHSAA District 2-1A game with kickoff slated for 7 p.m. Friday.

Sicily Island head coach Curtis Shavers said a few things led to Tensas High breaking open a close game with a 22-point fourth quarter that led to a 42-18 win for the Panthers.

“We’re trying to keep our key guys in the game,” Shavers said. “That was our problem with Tensas — injuries and players getting tired because of lack of depth. Injuries to key people took their toll on us in the fourth quarter. They scored and then we misplayed an onside kick.”

Sicily Island will not only need to keep its key players on the field, but the Tigers will also need to slow down an Oak Grove team that put up 54 points on Delta Charter last week.

Shavers said the Tigers quarterback and their linemen concern him the most.

“Other than that, we plan on showing up and playing to our ability,” he said.

Block at Rayville

Block head coach Bo Sproles said his team is playing better football than it did in the season-opener against Ouachita Christian School. And that showed in the second half last week against Mangham High School.

“We are still playing the toughest non-district schedule in the state of Louisiana,” Sproles said. “When you are dressing 27 to 29 kids from seniors down to eighth-graders, that’s hard to do five weeks in a row. After we scored in the second half, Mangham’s coach put his starters back in. We still shut them out. That was a really good step to take. It’s time to get that ‘W’ now.”

Next up for 0-4 Block is another road game against Class 2A Rayville (0-4) at 7 p.m. Friday.

“They’re in the same predicament we’re in,” Sproles said. “They’re not as big as Ferriday, but they’re a big team. They’re going to try to zone-read us to death.”

Sproles said he wants his team to get out of this game healthy as district play begins next week, but he expects Rayville’s brand of football to be similar to Block’s: power running.

“They don’t try to run over you,” Sproles said. “I love power football, and our linebackers are starting to understand that.”