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RAYVILLE, La. — After back-to-back blowout losses to Oak Grove High School and Ouachita Christian School, the Ferriday High School Trojans were looking to get back to their winning ways with the playoffs right around the corner.

Thanks to three touchdowns passes from Caleb Ellis to Desmen Jefferson and the defense playing like it did earlier in the season, Ferriday took care of the Rayville High School Hornets 32-6 last Thursday night in an LHSAA District 2-2A game.

What was unique about this game was that the officiating crew decided to use a running clock after Ferriday went up 24-6 early in the third quarter. Trojans assistant coach DeVante Scott said it was a good move for both teams.

“It was a respect thing. It was beneficial to us, too. We were able to get out of there injury-free,” Scott said. “They started using it early in the third quarter. They usually use it when a team goes up by 35 points.”

However, the Trojans’ offense got off to an unusual slow start. And that had Scott, head coach Walter Johnson, and the rest of the coaching staff baffled. Especially against a team that entered the game with a 1-8 overall record.

“Offense started out slow. We missed on some stuff. The first three drives, we didn’t even cross the 50,” Scott said. “Defense was stopping them, too.”

Ferriday scored first on a touchdown pass from Ellis to Jefferson and added the two-point conversion early in the first quarter to go up 8-6. Not long after that, Rayville (1-9, 1-6) scored to make it an 8-6 game.

“The defense let them score right away. They were 1-8, but they didn’t play like they’re 1-8. They gave us their best shot,” Scott said. “Defense did a great job (Thursday) night.”

The Trojans scored again on a 33-yard TD pass from Ellis to Jefferson and a two-point conversion pass from Ellis to Dariyon Brown with less than a minute to go until halftime for a 16-6 lead.

Zylon Alexander scored on a 20-yard touchdown run about two minutes into the third quarter and Ellis’ two-point conversion pass to Paityn Collins made it 24-6 and that’s when the game went to a running clock. Ellis connected with Jefferson on a 25-yard TD pass about midway through the fourth quarter and Brown had another two-point conversion reception from Ellis.
Ellis went 10-for-18 passing for 133 yards with three touchdowns and one interception while Jefferson had three receptions for 107 yards and three touchdowns. Alexander had four carries for 30 yards and one touchdown while Jerry Griffin had five carries for 42 yards and CJ Reed Jr. had six carries for 50 yards.

When asked if the win would have an affect on where Ferriday (7-3, 4-3) would be seeded for the LHSAA Non-Select Division IV Playoffs, Scott said, “We’re No. 8 right now. Depending on how things go (Friday night), we might move up to No. 7. But we will be hosting a first-round game.”