Even though they might not admit it, this is a game both St. Aloysius and East Rankin Academy have had circled on the schedule for a while.

It’s not a season opener or a district game. It’s not even a rivalry. It’s just two struggling teams eyeing the other like a juicy piece of meat, each ready to take a healthy bite and savor the sweet taste of victory.

St. Al has lost its first two games and East Rankin its first three. One has to get its first win when they play Friday at 7 p.m. in Pelahatchie.

“Every game, in my mind, is one that we can win,” said St. Al coach Walker Mosby, downplaying the chance for his team to snap a school-record 21-game losing streak against another winless team. “I think we could’ve won last week and the week before that. Every game is just as important and every game is a game that I think we can win. I’ve circled every game. Not just this one.”

St. Al lost 34-10 to Cathedral last week, but Mosby was much more encouraged than discouraged by the loss. St. Al committed four turnovers and a holding call negated an early touchdown, but the offense rushed for more than 200 yards.

An inspired effort also kept the game close most of the way. The score was 21-10 for most of the second half, until Cathedral scored two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter to finally put the Flashes away.

It was the kind of performance Mosby said they can build on, like they did following a 41-14 loss to Adams County Christian School in Week 1.

“We told the guys that we were proud of the improvement that they’ve made. They’re not the same team that played against Lamar (in a preseason scrimmage). They’re not the same team that played against ACCS,” Mosby said. “As a coaching staff, you love to see those things — that these guys, no matter what, are still going to go out there and fight, grind, and have the discipline, attitude and toughness to bounce back.”

Mosby said the offensive and defensive lines deserved a lot of the credit for hanging tough against Cathedral. Senior running back Thompson Fortenberry had 120 rushing yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Carson Smith had 80 yards.

On defense, lineman Jaden Wheeldon had four tackles and a forced fumble, and Sam Hall had six total tackles and recovered a fumble.

“From an offensive and defensive line standpoint, I don’t know if it could’ve been any better,” Mosby said. “The amount of improvement that you saw in the O-line — and this is all credit to (assistant coach Bumper Brogdon) and the big guys on both sides of the football — they played their guts out. They blocked the right people, they played hard, they fired off the football, and that’s all you can ask for. We’ve just got to punch the football in.”

Mosby added he was confident the Flashes can score some more — and win some more — as they progress through the schedule, beginning with East Rankin.

“There’s so much more room for improvement to get to the best of our ability and those guys are going to get there,” Mosby said.

FRIDAY’S AREA GAMES
All games start at 7 p.m.
Pearl at Warren Central (Radio: 105.5 FM)
St. Aloysius at East Rankin (Radio: 101.3 FM)
Porter’s Chapel at Riverdale (Radio: 104.5 FM)
Vicksburg at Forest Hill (Radio: 107.7 FM)
Briarfield Academy at Tallulah Academy
Port Gibson at Jim Hill