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VIDALIA — The Vidalia High School Vikings played probably their best game since the season opener back in early September, but it still wasn’t enough as they lost to the Rayville High School Hornets 26-16 Friday night in an LHSAA District 2-2A game.

Vidalia head coach Mike Norris said what hurt his team the most was not being discipline enough and having costly penalties — especially when the Vikings had a chance to get back in the game.

“We’ve got to start playing disciplined football. We were undisciplined tonight. We had opportunities to make big plays to get us back in the game. We got in the red zone and then we would get a penalty that took us out of the red zone,” Norris said.

In one series alone, Norris said his team committed three straight penalties. And against a good team like Rayville (5-2, 3-1), he knew his players could not afford to make those kinds of mistakes. Yet that is what kept the Vikings from really having a chance to come back and upset the Hornets.

“We’re not disciplined. We didn’t make the big plays that we needed to make,” Norris said.

Nick Banks scored on a touchdown run and Sema’j Hayes added a touchdown run of his own for the Vikings. Norris added that some of his players played real hard, but not enough. He noted a few of his players played both ways for the entire game.

“But, until all 11 players play hard and play the right way, it’s going to be hard for us. We’re going to struggle to win games,” Norris said.

Vidalia (1-6, 0-3) travels to Delhi, La. to take on the Delhi Charter School Gators in a district match-up Friday at 7 p.m.