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VIDALIA, La. — The Vidalia High School Vikings will have their hands full this Friday night when they welcome the Jena High School Giants to Dee Faircloth Memorial Stadium in an LHSAA District 2-3A game.

Kickoff between two-time defending District 2-3A champion Jena (4-2, 1-0) and Vidalia (2-4, 0-1) is slated for 7 p.m. The Giants are coming off an impressive 36-13 district-opening win at Marksville High School last Friday night. The Vikings lost at Buckeye High School 46-20 last Friday night in their district opener.

This will be the first meeting between Jena and Vidalia since Sept. 10, 2021, when the Giants won at home over the Vikings 40-6. This time around the match-up will be more important because it’s a district game and Vidalia cannot afford to drop to 0-2 in district play.

Vidalia head coach Josh West said this will be “a classic David and Goliath story.” It will indeed because Jena has run the table in winning four straight district championships — 5-0 in District 2-3A in 2022 and 2023 and before that 4-0 in District 3-3A in 2020 and 2021. The last time the Giants did not win a district title was 2019, when they went 2-2 and finished in third place in District 3-3A.

Knowing what lies ahead of Vidalia this Friday night, West said practice has gone well so far this week.

“We had a good practice (Tuesday). We had a good walkthrough. Trying to shore up some things and trying to work on some different things offensively,” West said. “Defensively, we have to prepare for what they do well. We know they’re going to run the dive and run the wing. They’re physical up front. They want to impose their will. We have to tackle well as a defense.”

The good news for the Vikings is that they are pretty healthy physically going into this pivotal district contest. But West added that his team needs to be better mentally so they can have a better chance of winning games.

“We have a few nicks and bruises, but nothing major. You want to practice physically to prepare for a team like this, but you have to be smart. For the most part, we’re pretty healthy,” West said. “We’ve been in every game, but the score doesn’t show that. We’ve had lapses. A penalty here. A mistake there. We to play together and not point the finger at each other and not be down on ourselves when the other team scores. A lot of times it’s more of us not doing what we’re doing and not what the other team is doing.”

And when West and his coaching staff saw Jena on film, West said there are several things on each side of the ball that impresses him.

“When I see them, I’m impressed with the offensive line and how they come off the ball. No. 5, (junior) Sedrick Wilson, and No. 10, (sophomore) Daniel Hatcher, they are both special backs. They are a dynamic duo. They have a tall receiver who’s 6-4, 6-5. We saw him in a junior high game last year. He’s a pretty good receiver for what they use him for. He’s a red zone threat,” West said. “Defensively, their linebackers read their keys well. They’re well coached. Their front is pretty physical. They fly to the ball. Normal stuff that good programs do.”

As for what kind of offense and defense Jena runs, West said. “They run the wing offense. They run downhill. Defensively, they run a 3-front with two overhangs. They sell out to stop the run. You can beat them with the pass.”

West said that will take a team effort for Vidalia to upset Jena Friday night, but there are some players that he singled out who he feels need to have a big game.

“Elmari ‘Juice’ Lewis needs to have a great game. Marc Perkins has got to show up. He’s got to make big plays. Briasent McCraney needs to be a force. He’ll be doing different things. He’ll need to impose his will. Michael Randall Jr. needs to make an impact. Our entire offensive line – McCraney, Brad Lyles, Kennedy Harris, Jared Wooten, and Darius Lyles, Brad’s younger brother,” West said.

West added that this will be the first week for Brad Lyles to start on the offensive line for the Vikings.

“He hasn’t had that opportunity. He’s playing both ways. Darius Lyles, he’s a 6-4 freshman. (Freshman linebacker) Carlos King, he’s going to have to tackle those bigger kids,” West said. “We’ve to young guys who are physically at a disadvantage. We have to tackle with form. We can’t be intimidated. I’m not looking for one person. It’s got to be a team thing. It’s all hands on deck.”