FERRIDAY — It’s hard to believe that Ferriday lost three of its first four games to start the season, because the Trojans are currently running like a well-oiled machine.

One week after ripping Lake Providence 65-8, the Trojans dismantled Sterlington 47-16 to set up a showdown with Farmerville next week for the District 2-2A championship.

Senior wingback De’Vante Scott was the star for Ferriday, rushing 12 times for 147 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned a kickoff 70 yards for a score on the final play of the first half that put the game firmly in Ferriday’s hands.

“De’Vante is our big playmaker,” Ferriday coach Chad Harkins said of the Mississippi State commitment. “He makes plays every week that ignite us.”

Ferriday’s double wing offense battered the Sterlington defense into submission, as the Trojans gained 316 rushing yards on 42 carries.

The Ferriday rushing attack was so dominant, the Trojans didn’t have to turn to the pass, as they only attempted four passes, completing none of them.

“The kids are playing real well on offense,” Harkins said. “The guys are adapting to what we’re doing and really helping us coaches on the sidelines.”

Ferriday put its stamp on the game right from the beginning, as the Trojans took the opening kickoff and marched methodically down the field with short to medium running plays.

Scott capped off the drive with a 4-yard run.

Scott then showed his big-play ability on Ferriday’s next possession, as he took a handoff and exploded up the middle for a 55-yard touchdown gallop to put the Trojans up 14-0.

The only hiccup for Ferriday in the game came on special teams, when a bad snap on a punt set up Sterlington inside the 10-yard line.

The Panthers cashed it in a few plays later with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Lockwood to Jaquarius Davis to cut the lead to 14-7 midway through the second quarter.

However, Ferriday’s methodical offense continued to dominate, as the Trojans drove right back down the field and scored on a Marques Lewis 3-yard run.

Sterlington did look like it might take some momentum into the locker room at halftime, as a 29-yard field goal by Conner Bryan with 12 seconds left in the half capped off a nice drive.

However, Scott stole any momentum the Panthers might have gleaned right back when he took the ensuing kickoff back 70 yards for a score as time expired to give the Trojans a 28-10 halftime lead.

Ferriday took the game completely over in the third quarter with three consecutive touchdowns.

Scott capped off Ferriday’s first drive with a 15-yard touchdown run before Alfred Brown returned an interception 37 yards for a score less than a minute later.

Brown intercepted another Lockwood pass on Sterlington’s next possession, and Scott capped it off with a 6-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.

The only score in the fourth quarter came on a Grant Bardin 8-yard run against the Ferriday backups with eight seconds left in the game.

With the win, Ferriday improves to 6-3 overall and 4-0 in the district.

“We started the season off slow, but we’ve improved week to week and day to day,” Harkins said. “That’s all you can ask.”

The Trojans will win the district championship with a victory over Farmerville next week.

“One of our goals was to win the district championship and we’re right at the door of reaching our goal,” Harkins said. “We want to be peaking this time of year and things will turn out good for us.”