There is, perhaps mercifully, only one game left in St. Aloysius’ football season. One more time to take the field, one last chance to make memories.

With that in mind, St. Al head coach Bubba Nettles has a message for his players — go out and make the most of it.

“Send these four seniors out with a bang,” Nettles said. “Three of them have been with me since the beginning, with Damien (Reeves), Caleb (Tucker) and Land (Oglesby). They bleed purple and gold. Brady Harrell coming out his senior year to help out and wanting to be a part of this program and contribute as much as he has speaks volumes as to who he is. We’re going to try to have some fun Friday night and see what happens.”

The Flashes (0-9, 0-3 MAIS District 2-4A) have been eliminated from playoff contention, which means Friday’s home game against Winston Academy (5-4, 0-3) will be their final one in 2023.

St. Al’s other big goal is snapping a school-record 18-game losing streak and avoiding its first winless season since 1913. Mostly, though, it’s about enjoying one more Friday night together under the lights. As difficult as the season has been to grind through, Nettles said that part of the experience has been fun.

“I’m still a firm believer in, ‘If you do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life.’ Even as rough as this season has been, seeing these kids’ determination and perseverance, and positive outlook on life is inspiring to me,” Nettles said. “If they can show up every Friday facing what seems to be insurmountable tasks for a lot of the Friday nights and still fight, still give it everything they’ve got, that’s borderline if not over the line of heroic in my eyes.”

St. Al’s season went south early on. A tough schedule in the first half of the season was always going to be hard to navigate, and ill-timed illnesses and injuries that depleted an already-thin roster did not help matters.

If there was one silver lining, Nettles said, it was that a number of young players were able to gain valuable varsity experience. Four freshmen and one eighth-grader have been among the players plugged in to fill gaps.

“We’ve played pretty much everybody on our roster,” Nettles said. “They’ve all gotten experience and seen it. They know the speed it requires, they know the physicality it requires. So just taking whatever happens Friday into our offseason is going to be big.”

Along with those who played, Nettles said several others will make their way to the varsity roster next season. The math works out to a net gain that will improve the team’s depth in 2024, so the hope is that taking more lumps than they’d have liked this year pays off down the line.

“When you graduate a senior class and you get the next year a net gain of six or seven kids, that’s usually unheard of. But for us that’s what’s going to happen in terms of our varsity,” Nettles said. “We’re going to go from 21 or 22 kids to right at about 30. Maybe over 30. That’s a big deal to be able to have that many kids involved in the varsity practice. And it’s a great group of kids. I’m looking forward to having them involved.”

As much as the Flashes might like to forget this season, Nettles added that it’s important for them to remember it all as the team heads toward its offseason training program. He wants his players to let it linger as motivation to improve.

“Let all the frustrations that have built up, and the hurt from the returning players, and take that into the offseason. Take it into every rep we do in the weight room, every sprint we do,” Nettles said. “Don’t let the memories of this season escape. Keep them there. Let that be what motivates you, not depresses you.”

FRIDAY’S AREA GAMES
All games start at 7 p.m.
Porter’s Chapel at Prairie View (Radio: 104.5 FM)
Winston Academy at St. Aloysius (Radio: 101.3 FM)
Callaway at Vicksburg High (Radio: 107.7 FM)
Warren Central at Neshoba Central (Radio: 105.5 FM)
Claiborne Academy at Tallulah Academy
River Oaks at Sharkey-Issaquena Academy
Clinton Christian at Central Hinds
Franklin County at Port Gibson
Madison Parish at Oak Grove, La.