Carl Dangerfield will be working with a smaller and faster ball this spring as Ferriday High is starting its baseball program once again

&uot;It’s been about seven or eight year,&uot; said Dangerfield, who coached the Ferriday softball team last year.

Former Lady Trojan standout Jeanie Crknovic is coaching the Ferriday girls this spring.

Dangerfield, who is also director of Ferriday’s well-known marching band, said adding the sport of baseball back will help the student-athletes.

&uot;It gives the kids another opportunity to participate in a sport,&uot; he said. &uot;Otherwise they may be spending their time hanging around on the corner.&uot;

Ferriday will be competing in District 3-2A with Vidalia, Block, Crowville and McCall.

&uot;We know we have to keep the program going for it to be successful,&uot; Dangerfield said. &uot;I’m looking forward to it.&uot;

Dangerfield cut his roster down to 15 players for the first year back.

&uot;It’s kind of tough because we sort of decided on this at the last minute, but the kids said they wanted to play and we want to give them the chance.&uot;

Dangerfield said he is excited about coaching the team.

&uot;Right now I don’t want to predict anything,&uot; he said. &uot;We want to see how things go early. We need to get kids in the junior high involved and build it up. There are a lot of athletes here.&uot;

Ferriday High opens its season on March 9.

Vidalia High will host a junior varsity jamboree on Thursday, followed by a varsity jamboree on Friday.

Elsewhere, Natchez High will host its annual baseball tournament on Saturday. Cathedral and Franklin County will compete in the tourney.

Adams County Christian School starts its season Feb. 28 at the Amite School Center Tournament.