VIDALIA — Vidalia coach Dee Faircloth was worried that his team might not be ready for Friday’s game against Bolton.

Rain had kept the Vikings practicing in the gymnasium all week, and Faircloth feared they would be rusty.

It took less than a one half of play for the Viking players to assuage all of Faircloth’s concerns.

Vidalia rolled up 46 points and 346 yards in the first half before coasting to a 46-14 victory over the Bears in a key District 3-3A contest.

Vidalia is now 3-4 overall and 2-1 in district play with the victory.

“The kids did a heck of a job considering we haven’t been outside since last week,” Faircloth said. “I was afraid we were going to turn into a basketball team working in the gym that long. But the kids responded and played a heck of a first half.”

Two Vidalia players that responded the most were running back Quan Riley and wide receiver Gary Stewart.

Riley rushed for 248 yards and three touchdowns, with 225 of those yards coming in the first half.

Stewart, meanwhile, caught three passes for 78 yards, with all three of his receptions going for touchdowns.

Faircloth said Riley is coming into his own as a running back midway through the season.

“Quan has developed into an outstanding running back these last few games,” Faircloth said. “He got 200 yards against Pearl River and he duplicated that feat tonight. He was outstanding. I told him I never thought he had it in him.”

While the Vidalia offense was going up and down the field in the first half, the Viking defense was just as dominating.

Vidalia’s defense held Bolton to just 47 yards in the first half, forced a turnover and recorded a safety.

“The coach from Bolton said after the game ‘Coach, y’all went crazy,’” Faircloth said. “I said ‘Well, we finally woke up after seven games I guess.’”

It took Vidalia less than three minutes to get on the scoreboard. Three plays after forcing a fumble, Viking quarterback Caleb Vines hooked up with Stewart for a 54-yard touchdown pass that set the tone for the rest of the game.

Vidalia then recovered the squib kickoff and quickly scored its second touchdown. Vines and Stewart hooked up again, this time from five yards out to put the Vikings up 14-0.

The Vidalia defense put the next two points on the board, as Bolton quarterback Martravius Dorsey was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone.

The 16 first-quarter points was just a precursor of things to come in the second quarter.

Riley scored his first of three touchdowns on a 5-yard jaunt to put the Vikings up 24-0 and after Vidalia recovered yet another squib kick, Vines and Stewart hooked up for their third touchdown of the game, this one a 19-yarder to make the score 32-0.

Riley then stole the spotlight from his teammates, ripping off touchdown runs of 84 and 66 yards on consecutive Vidalia offensive plays to put him over the 200-yard mark in the first half.

When the first half carnage was finished, Vidalia had a 46-0 lead on the scoreboard and a 346-47 yard advantage over the hapless Bears.

Faircloth said his team’s total domination even took him by surprise.

“I was surprised, because Bolton has a big defensive front, and last week they just manhandled Jena, so I thought it was going to be tough sledding tonight,” Faircloth said. “But the kids came out and performed very well.”

Vidalia played mostly backups in the second half, and Bolton scored two fourth quarter touchdowns on passes from Dorsey to Anwon Jolla.

With the win, Vidalia greatly improves its playoff positioning, but Faircloth is already looking ahead to next week’s game against Bunkie.

“We’ve got a tough one next week against the Bunkie Panthers,” Faircloth said. “They call them the beast of the district. We’re going to get ready to play and see what we’ve got.”