Vidalia and Ferriday High’s girls battled all year in competitive District 3-2A. Now the stakes are a lot higher. Both teams host first-round playoff games today, as the Lady Vikings entertain Many and Ferriday hosts Loyola of Shreveport.

Both games start at 6 p.m.

Vidalia captured the district championship, losing only one game in 3-2A, its final one against Ferriday.

The Lady Trojans finished with two district losses to edge out McCall for first place.

Many is a wild card team out of District 5-2A.

&uot;They range in size from 5-foot-8 to 5-10,&uot; said Vidalia coach Lillian Johnson. &uot;They are a running ball club and they like to play man-to-man, although they will play a 2-3 zone. They like to get the ball inside to their 5-10 girl.&uot;

Johnson said she expects an up-tempo contest.

&uot;We have to put pressure on them,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;We’re going to play our type of game, the one we’re most comfortable playing all the time.&uot;

Johnson said her team is excited about hosting a first-round game.

&uot;It’s that time where if you lose one game, you are out,&uot; she said.

Admission to the Vidalia-Many game is $4.

Ferriday faces the runner-up in District 2-2A in Loyola, which sports a 20-13 record.

&uot;They have a 6-foot-7 girl (Courtney Todoro) who is averaging 4.4 points, but has more than 100 blocks,&uot;&160;said Ferriday coach Lisa Abron. &uot;Her presence alone gives you problems. Their go-to person is a sophomore forward named Aleshia Rhymes who is averaging 11 .5 points a game. And their point guard is setting records in assists.&uot;

Abron said Loyola also has a player 6-foot and another 5-10.

&uot;We’re going to have to use our quickness,&uot; she said. &uot;We have to put pressure on them and keep them from setting up.&uot;

Ferriday won the Class 3A state championship in 1996.

&uot;The girls are excited,&uot; Abron said. &uot;Hopefully some of the momentum from beating Vidalia (last week) will filter into this game. We need the same type of performance, especially on the defensive end.&uot;

Admission to the Ferriday High game being played at the seventh-grade gym is $5.

Davidson’s girls, the District 4-A champion, will host Ringgold Friday in a first-round game to be played at Newellton High at 6 p.m..

Ringgold is a wild card team which finished third in District 1-1A.

&uot;They have a good ball-handler and shoot well from the outside,&uot; said Davidson coach Steve McClatchy. &uot;They are patient on offense. We’ll have to play good half court man-to-man defense.&uot;