The first half of Friday’s game was something the St. Aloysius Flashes would just as soon forget. The second half was something they definitely want to remember.

Holder Tidwell threw three touchdown passes as Winston Academy built a big lead and went on to beat St. Al 27-12.

St. Al, though, scored the last two touchdowns of the game and is hoping to carry that momentum into next week’s MAIS Class 4A playoff game — the program’s first since 2020.

St. Al (2-8, 1-2 MAIS District 2-4A) qualified as the No. 10 seed and will go back to Winston Academy for a first-round rematch next Friday.

Carson Smith threw two touchdown passes to Walt Andrews, of 15 and 48 yards, to provide the late spark. Keller Bradley also had an interception on defense.

Tidwell threw a pair of 30-yard TD passes to Ky Kirk, and a 15-yarder to Jayson McMillin as Winston (6-4, 1-2) built a 27-0 lead in the third quarter.

“The first half was rough. We turned the football over. It wasn’t good up front, and then it’s just hard to run the football when that’s what you’re known for. All around it wasn’t good,” St. Al coach Walker Mosby said. “But we went in there at halftime and we stuck to what we do. Nothing changed offensively, really. We challenged our guys to continue to fight and make a game out of this and that’s what they did.”

Mosby said he was happy for his seniors who will play the first postseason game of their high school careers, and was optimistic that a good effort next week will ensure it’s not the last.

“I’m happy for our guys, especially for our seniors, to get to play another game — and who knows? Get to play more after that,” Mosby said. “At this point all you get is one game at a time, so we’re going to challenge our guys again to go out there and fight for four quarters and give it all you’ve got. You never know what can happen. The playoffs are crazy.”

MAIS Class 4A playoffs
First round – Friday, Nov. 1
St. Aloysius at Winston Academy
Washington School at Centreville Academy
Clinton Christian at Columbia Academy
Amite School Center at Wayne Academy