After a loss at Sterlington High School last week, the Ferriday High School Trojans return home to take on the Mangham High School Dragons senior night this week.

Kickoff for this pivotal LHSAA District 2-2A game will be at 7 p.m. Friday. Mangham (5-3, 1-2) fell to Ouachita Christian School 35-12 last week.

Ferriday (5-3, 2-1) suffered a 34-30 loss to Sterlington.

Ferriday lost to Sterlington at the end of the game, and Trojans head coach Dwight Woods was not happy about the way the loss happened.

“They tried to kick a field goal, and one of our guys jumped over the line and blocked the kick. They (the officiating crew) invoked a rule, and they threw a flag on him. You don’t make that call,” Woods said. “He was trying to get a running start and a high vertical jump. But he didn’t affect the ball. The kicker just missed the kick.”

The penalty for leaping resulted in a first down for the Panthers, and they went on to score the game-winning touchdown.

“The referee said it was a discretionary call. That was my argument with him. My thing is the referee shouldn’t determine the outcome of the game; the kids should,” Woods said.

Now the Trojans’ attention turns to a Mangham team that got off to a 4-0 start before losing three of its past four games.

Woods said the thing that impresses him the most about the Dragons is their offense.

“The way they run the ball,  with misdirection and confusion … you have be careful and use your eyes. They’ve been doing it for so long. Three straight trips to the (Mercedes-Benz Super)dome, they’ve been doing it well,” Woods said.

Woods noted that Mangham’s defense has been stout, despite giving up 35 points each to Sterlington and Ouachita Christian the past two weeks.

“They get the max out of their personnel. They play good against the run, and they’re pretty good against the pass,” he said.

There will be two key match-ups to watch for in this game, Woods said. Mangham’s offensive line against Ferriday’s defensive line, and the Trojans’ receivers against the Dragons’ defensive backs.

The latter of the two is where Woods said his team has the advantage.

“If our defensive line can control the line of scrimmage, it will make the game easier. But if they run the Dragon Wing, it will be a long night for us,” he said.

Woods said in order for the Trojans to beat Mangham Friday night, his squad will have to play good defense and get the running game going.

“Defensively we can’t get caught up in all the misdirection and be disciplined. If we do those things, we can win the game,” he said. “We’re going to have to score some points. We’ve got some injuries, but I think we’ll be OK.”