Jordan Granville didn’t know quite what to make of Mississippi high school football until he played in the season opener.

The Maryland transfer quickly found out and in the process became a key part in one of the best football seasons for the St. Aloysius Flashes in several years.

&#8220I found that Mississippi football is far more serious than it is in Maryland,” Granville said. &#8220It’s what people live for here. In Maryland, it’s just a game we play.”

The Flashes finished 8-4 and made the MHSAA, Class 1A playoffs for the first time since 2002. They lost in the first round to Mercy Cross out of Biloxi, 42-28.

There were other adjustments as well for Granville, who started the season playing at defensive tackle but later was moved to offense, playing right guard.

&#8220The school I played at in Maryland is substantially larger than St. Al. There were 600 kids in my class,” Granville said, comparing North Hagerstown High School, near Baltimore, to St. Al. &#8220And the offenses were different. We ran the spread there and here it was the Wing-T. But I tell you, I learned more about football in one season here than I did in three years playing in Maryland.”

Granville will be one of eight offensive senior starters the Flashes will lose to graduation. Nine more will be gone off the defense.

&#8220We’re going to be taking a big hit,” said junior Chip Donald, who will be one of a handful of starters that will return next season. &#8220There was only like five in my class on the team this year. We’ll definitely need some young kids to step up.”

Donald then started rattling off St. Al seniors who are leaving.

&#8220You have Jordan (Granville) who really came on for us on the offensive line along with Matt Thornton and Daniel Berryhill at guard,” Donald said.

&#8220People forget how important it was to have a Jordan Muirhead who did all of our kicking. He won some games with his kicks (South Leake 21-20, Nanih Waiya 34-27).

&#8220And then Red Beard (Alex Halinski) was outstanding as was Marsh Willis who had five interceptions and Joe Sud (Sudderth) led us in sacks and J.R. (Burnett) led us in tackles. I know I’m going to miss all of them.”

Halinski was exceptional for the Flashes, leading Warren County in rushing with 1,423 yards. He also had 18 touchdowns, putting him into the top five of all-time best scoring seasons for a St. Al player.

Muirhead was the team’s top receiver with 17 catches for 275 yards while Burnett, a tight end, caught 13 for 238.

The Flashes will return Donald, who was a big play threat, along with sophomore quarterback Chris Lewis who completed 57 of 126 passes for 982 yards and eight touchdowns.

&#8220I wasn’t ready for it to end,” said Burnett, who wants to continue playing next year. He certainly has the academics down with a 28 on the American College Test.

&#8220I’ve heard from a small college in Tennessee and I’d love to go to Millsaps,” said Burnett, the Flashes leading tackler.

&#8220We had a great season and what made it a great season was the leadership we got from our seniors,” Donald said. &#8220And it started a year ago, on the Monday following our last game, we were running bleachers.”