FERRIDAY — For the first time in 35 years, the Ferriday High Trojans are going to the Class 2A Louisiana High School Athletics Association state championship, defeating the defending champions Amite High Magnet School Warriors 42-14 on Friday night.

The Trojans quickly found themselves in a hole when the Warriors went up 14-0 in the first quarter. Amite’s Corey McKnight scored the first touchdown for the Warriors on a 20-yard run. Soon after the Warriors scored again after they recovered a Ferriday fumble for a touchdown. Those would be the only points the Warriors would put on the scoreboard for the remainder of the game.

After the first two scores by the Warriors, Kobe Dillon and Byron Milligan started the comeback for the Trojans.

Dillon scored a 2-yard rushing touchdown for the Ferriday’s first score in the first quarter. Then, in the second quarter Dillon threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Sebastian Turner.

Also in the second quarter, Dillon ran for a 12-yard touchdown to give the Trojans the 22-14 lead going into halftime. In the third quarter, Dillon would add to the Trojan’s commanding lead with another touchdown pass to Blake Tarver for 12-yards.

“Dillon played a great game tonight,” Smith said. “He came back and finished the game amazingly.”

After Dillon’s touchdown pass to Tarver, Milligan ran for a 28-yard touchdown to give the Trojans a commanding 36-14 lead in the third quarter. Milligan ended the game with 118 rushing yards.

In the third quarter, Dontavious Henderson sacked the Warriors quarterback, John Walker. Dillon said Henderson’s sack pumped up the crowd and gave the Trojans additional momentum.

“Coach put me in for a reason,” Henderson said about his sack. “I just did my job.”

Dillon rushed for his second touchdown in the fourth quarter. He ended the game with 215 rushing yards and 73 passing yards. Dillon said the offensive line meant everything to him in tonight’s game.

The Trojans ended a 35-year drought of not going to the state championship game. The Trojans also stopped its three-year trend of losing in the semifinal round.

“Look what the Trojans mean to the community,” Smith said. “I can’t express how I feel right now. I’m a ball of emotion right now. It’s a great feeling. We just want to win the championship game and finish the deal.”

Ferriday will travel to the Superdome for Friday’s Class 2A championship game between the No. 2 seed Many High School Tigers. Many defeated Kentwood 17-14 on Friday night.

The Class 2A championship game begins at a time yet to be determined on Friday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.