With steady rainfall over the past week pushing many football teams indoors for practice, Vidalia High School coach Dee Faircloth came up with an idea for his team’s opener Friday at Sicily Island.

“We’ll call Sicily Island and see if we can play them in the gym so we can be ready,” he said.

While Faircloth was kidding about the venue, the grizzled coach said preparing in the school’s gymnasium has its positives but also its negatives.

“The good thing is there is less potential for injury,” Faircloth said. “If you stay in there a week, you’ll be fine, but after a week, you start losing your timing on plays.”

Vidalia certainly had good timing this past weekend in its jamboree as it topped both Tensas and Mentorship Academy.

“I thought our offensive line did a good job and basically as a whole we did a good job,” Faircloth said. “We lost two fumbles against Tensas and three against Mentorship, so you have to clean that up. You can’t win giving up five fumbles.”

Sicily Island first-year coach Donald Money said the weather forced his team inside on Monday, but they were able to hit the practice field on Tuesday.

“We were able to get some work on our offense and defense,” he said. “I’m sure Vidalia is going through the same thing — same weather, same conditions.”

Money said the biggest challenge the Vikings will present his squad is their size and depth.

“Their players for the most part don’t have to play both ways,” he said. “They have a couple good-sized linemen who will be fresh because of their depth. We’ll be on the opposite end of that spectrum.”

Sicily Island has 24 players on the roster, but Faircoth said the Tigers are not short on talented players.

“They have outstanding athletes, and they’ve always had a crew of athletes,” Faircloth said.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.