FERRIDAY — In a muddy and rainy second round home game on Friday night, Ferriday High Trojans used a mixture of offense and defense to win 36-13 over the Port Allen Pelicans.

It was a 65-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter by Byron Milligan that ended the Pelicans’ run in the Louisiana High School Athletics Association Class 2A playoffs.

Earlier in the first quarter with 1:13, Port Allen attempted to score on the team’s third drive of the game and began the drive on their own 25-yard line. The Pelicans previous two drives ended in punts.

On first down, Pelicans quarterback Jacoby Howard fumbled the ball and Jabarius Jefferson picked up the loose ball and ran it for a touchdown.

Trojans Head Coach Stanley Smith said the Trojans’ defense played OK.

“We still have to clean up some things,” Smith said. “We didn’t execute plays, and we gave up some big plays. We have to do better at reading our keys and making tackles.”

The defense came up huge for the Trojans with efforts by Kylyn Lewis, Jefferson and Milligan.  Lewis earned two sacks tonight with one of the sacks being for a safety for Ferriday. Lewis also made key tackles on the Pelicans’ third down plays. Smith said Jefferson and Lewis played pretty well Friday night as a pair. Smith said Jefferson has been consistent at doing his job and Lewis put pressure on the Pelicans’ quarterback.

“I felt hungry,” Lewis said. “We have the best defensive line right here in Ferriday. We brought pressure to the quarterback tonight.”

Milligan picked up an interception, which sealed the game for the Trojans.

On offense, Kobe Johnson ran for two touchdowns in the game. Johnson ran for a 1-yard touchdown in the first quarter and a 16-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Kobe Dillon threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Elijah White with five seconds left in the second quarter.

The Pelicans scored two misdirection-rushing touchdowns in the game. Mekyle Franklin ran for an 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter and Jacoby Howard ran for a three-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Port Allen Head Coach Don Gibson said that’s what his team does.

“We just made too many mistakes,” Gibson said. “You can’t make many mistakes and beat a good football team.”

Ferriday High Trojans move onto the quarterfinal round of the LHSAA Class 2A playoffs and will host the No. 8 seed Kinder High Yellowjackets on Friday. The Trojans are 7-0 at Melz Field this season.