Vidalia Viking head coach Jeff Hancock knew there would be a good bit of work to do when he took over a struggling football program, and the first year head coach has had his fair share of tough games.

But he isn’t putting his head down these final two weeks of the season. In fact, he is firing up the troops, in hopes of getting that first win for a special group.

“The hardest part of this job is when the game is over, knowing those guys have busted their butt and come up just a bit short,” Hancock said. “To look into their eyes is the hardest part. I would like nothing more than to get a win, especially for the seniors. They have done so much, and I would like to do that for them.”

Vidalia (0-8) will have a chance tonight as they host a struggling Caldwell Parish (1-7) team. But Hancock knows the Spartans’ record doesn’t tell the whole story.

“Offensively, they give you a lot of formations,” he said. “And on defense, they give you a lot of different looks to keep you guessing. They are an athletic team.”

Vidalia is coming off a tough 64-12 loss on the road against Avoyelles, while Caldwell Parish enters the game off a 56-44 loss against Marksville.

A big key to the matchup will be the play of senior quarterback Landon Seyfarth, who Hancock has praised all year and is playing his first season of football.

“People don’t understand how difficult that is,” Hancock said. “All eyes are on you, and for him to be poised the way he has been is great.”

Despite being eliminated from playoff contention, the Vikings have accomplished a lot this season in Hancock’s eyes.

“I think we’ve made big strides,” he said. “Obviously, I thought we would win more games, but we are rebuilding. The foundation has been laid. The expectations and the groundwork have been laid. I’ve been very pleased, and guys understand what the expectations are now and how the program is going to be run.”

Vidalia and Caldwell Parish are scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff.