VIDALIA — While Vidalia High School may be winless, its players aren’t letting it get to them.

That was senior linebacker Dantrell Saul’s evaluation of his teammates Tuesday afternoon as the Vikings (0-4) prepare to host Baker High School Friday.

“The feeling is, we’re almost there,” Saul said. “It seems like we’re right there every game, then it’s the little things that go wrong. We’re just working on those things in practice.”

Head coach Gary Parnham Jr. said he’s been impressed with his players’ attitudes since they don’t seem to be getting down on themselves.

“We’re just on the verge of getting over the hump,” Parnham said. “We’d had our chances, then something bad always happens. I think after we get that first win, it’ll help a lot. These kids have been working their butts off, and they deserve to win.”

Parnham said Baker (0-4) has a very athletic team, and their record is not an indication of the type of team they have.

“They’ve played a very tough schedule,” Parnham said. “They have a pretty good football team.”

Junior running back Stewart Mallory said playing football means having a short memory, especially with the Vikings’ slow start to the season.

“We have another team (to play), so we just have to come out and work harder, watch a lot of film and bust our tail at practice,” Mallory said.

Part of busting your tail is playing a physical brand of football, and Mallory said the key to doing that is having the right mindset.

“No fear,” he summed it up. “You can’t just look at someone and say, ‘He’ll smash me. He’s too big, he’s too fast.’ You have to have no mercy.”

The Vikings will be without starting quarterback Michael Whitley, who is out with a sprained knee. Parnham said there’s no timetable on his return.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Friday at Vidalia.

Ferriday at Jennings

FERRIDAY — Ferriday High School may be 1-3, but senior offensive tackle and defensive end Lee Quinn said he doesn’t see a 1-3 team when he looks at his teammates.

“I feel like we can be better,” Quinn said. “Everybody is going to have to work hard. There’s no secrets (to improving), you just have to come out every day and get better.”

The Trojans will have a chance to improve on that record when they travel to Jennings High School Friday night, Jennings runs the veer, an option-based offense, and Trojans head coach Cleothis Cummings said teams like to use it to control the clock.

“They’re a disciplined team,” Trojans head coach Cleothis Cummings said. “They have really good athletes. We just have to make sure we put what we’re doing together. We’re going on five weeks now, so there should be progress.”

Quinn said there’s nothing about Jennings on film that appears overwhelming.

“We just have to try and stop the run and beat their line,” Quinn said. “They can be beat. We can beat them.”

After a 29-6 loss to Wilkinson County High School Friday, Cummings said his team needs to put together a complete game. Ferriday only trailed 14-6 at halftime.

“In the second half, we just didn’t finish,” Cummings said. “Mentally, we have to focus more and have relentless drive. (These kids have) what it takes.”

Ferriday assistant coach James Woodard said quarterback Shannon Morales is questionable for Friday’s game after re-aggravating a shoulder injury Monday in practice.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Friday night in Jennings.

Block at Donaldsonville

jonesville — After a 7-6 win against Rayville High School last week, Block High School (3-1) will travel to Donaldsonville High School Friday night.

But despite the fact that it’s two different schools, Bears head coach Benny Vault Jr. said there’s not much difference between the two teams.

“They look very athletic on film, almost like a carbon copy of Rayville,” Vault said. “It looks like they’re just trading suits and we’re playing the same team.”

A positive attitude last week in practice made the difference in the Bears winning by one, Vault said, and he’s been pleased with his defense so far this season.

“(That win) lets the kids know they can play with an athletic team,” Vault said. “The whole offensive line did a much better job this time. We played physical, Block-type football that I’ve been waiting on for four weeks.”

And Vault was quick to credit defensive coordinator Stephen Collins for the team’s strong defensive play, as the Bears have only given up six points in each in their wins against Ferriday, Vidalia and Rayville.

“He watches a lot of film and puts a lot of scenarios together,” Vault said. “He goes really hard in putting together a scheme. I think that’s part of why we’ve been so successful the last few weeks.”

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Friday in Donaldsonville.