FERRIDAY, La. &045; Before anything was official Tuesday, Ferriday’s Lady Trojans were sure of two things on the Class 2A playoff bracket.

Christian Life’s spot and Lakeview’s spot.

That left the only suspense as who they would draw in the first round. The Lady Trojans will host wild card Clinton, a fourth-place team out of District 7, to open the playoffs Thursday.

Game time will be either 6 or 7 p.m.

&uot;I kind of predicted how it would fall,&uot; Ferriday head coach Lisa Abron said. &uot;We didn’t know who we would play at first, but the rest of the bracket I kind of figured out on my own. If we win the first couple of games, we’ll have to play Christian Life. They knocked us out last year. I don’t want to jump ahead and overlook the first two games we play, but in the back of our minds we know we have to bring our A game when we play Christian Life.&uot;

There’s no use looking ahead, since Clinton is coming out of that tough nine-team District 7 &045; which Christian Life claimed the championship. The Lady Eagles finished CLA, University High and Ascension Catholic in the standings and are one of four wild card teams in the playoffs.

The Lady Trojans (30-0) come into the playoffs on a roll and on a quest to take a step farther than last year’s semifinal loss to Christian Life at the Sweet 16 in Hammond.

&uot;I’ve been calling around to try to find out what Clinton has,&uot; Abron said. &uot;They’ve got a post player that’s pretty decent and a point guard that is pretty decent. The main this is we’ve got to shut those two players down. We want to set the tempo because that’s the only way we know how to play.&uot;

The winner of the Ferriday-Clinton game will draw the winner of the Jewel Sumner-Ouachita Christian game, and that game will be opposite the winners of the Newman-Sacred Heart and Christian Life-Redeemer Seton games.

Ferriday, CLA and Lakeview are the top three ranked teams in Class 2A, and all three are on the top half of the bracket. Lakeview is the only other undefeated team in 2A, and it hosts Pickering to start the playoffs.

&uot;They (CLA) have everybody coming back, to my understanding,&uot; Abron said. &uot;They look good defensively. We’re going to be tested early, but with our experience and our seniors with their desire and determination, I think that will help us. We have to play like it’s our last game. It is because if we lose, we’re out.&uot;

Block girls at Dunham

JONESVILLE &045; Not much is known about the Lady Tigers, and that may be the case going into Thursday’s first-round Class 1A playoff battle in Baton Rouge.

That’s OK, Block head coach Veronica Savage. She knows what Lady Bears can do.

Tipoff is 7 p.m. Thursday at Dunham.

&uot;I’m still working on that right now,&uot; Savage said. &uot;It’s hard to get people to open up. We’ll go down there and do what we do best &045; go and play hard. I’m hoping still at the last minute somebody will call and give us anything, but we haven’t gotten a thing. We’re hyped, and we’re ready for anything. We’re at the point where we’re just going to do this.&uot;

The Lady Bears (16-7) finished in second place in District 5 and will face the Lady Tigers, the runners-up out of Baton Rouge-based District 6 behind Southern Lab, ranked No. 1 in the state.

The Lady Bears will counter with leading scorer Dani McMillian, the shooting guard who has helped the team dispose of everyone but a tough Newellton team in district play.

&uot;Dani’s on top, and even when she’s not she goes out and gives 150,&uot; Savage said. &uot;My bench is on fire. It takes a team. Our motto is, ‘I am my sister’s keeper.’ If Dani is off, the other girls step in. It’s coming together. It may be something to the fact that nobody will open up, but I’ve got a good feeling. I know I’m ready.

Vidalia vs. McCall

VIDALIA &045; The Vikings will play at 6 p.m. Friday in Winnsboro against McCall to break the tie atop first place in the District 3-2A standings.

The two teams split the regular season series with both at Vidalia due to sanctions levied by the LHSAA on McCall.

The winner will draw a wild card opponent and be assured of playing their first two games at home. The loser will host the District 5 runner-up in the first round.