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St. Aloysius quarterback Sadler Lambiotte (1) is pressured by Riverfield Academy's John-Cade Ziegler (80) as he throws the football during Friday's game at Farrell Stadium/Balzli Field. Riverfield defeated St. Al 21-0. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

St. Aloysius' Robert Lee (2) and Jaden Wheeldon (58) try to tackle Riverfield Academy receiver Trae Long (14) in the first half of Friday's game at Farrell Stadium/Balzli Field. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

St. Aloysius' Laken bradley tackles Riverfield Academy's Trae Long (14) during Friday's game. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

St. Aloysius running back Pierson Smith (3) carries the football against Riverfield Academy. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

St. Aloysius players stand on the sideline during Friday's game against Riverfield Academy. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

St. Aloysius quarterback Sadler Lambiotte is sacked by two Riverfield Academy defenders during Friday's game. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

St. Aloysius put up a strong, valiant fight, but learned the cruel lesson that sometimes even those end in knockouts.

Colton Herrington carried the ball 25 times for 137 yards and two touchdowns, and Riverfield Academy defeated St. Al 21-0 on Friday in a battle of two teams desperate for success.

St. Al (0-7) lost its 16th consecutive game dating back to last season. It remains hopeful for a wild card berth in the Class 4A playoffs thanks to the MAIS power points system, but will likely need to win at least one of its last three games to get it. Its next two games are on the road against Columbia Academy and Manchester, neither of which is above .500.

“We’ve just got to keep everybody on board. Keep everybody locked in to the same goal — win a couple of games and try to get in the playoffs,” St. Al receiver Carson Smith said.

St. Al had one of its most competitive games of the season on Friday. Walt Andrews intercepted a pass in the end zone to snuff out an 18-play, 8 1/2-minute drive by Riverfield (2-5) in the second quarter, and Caleb Tucker recovered a fumble in the third quarter.

The Flashes also forced a field goal try that Riverfield’s Trenston Mize missed wide right on another red zone trip in the first half.

“They were lights out. They fought their butts off,” St. Al coach Bubba Nettles said of his defense. “I think we had two goal line stands, or at least down in the red zone stands, that kept points off the board and kept us in the ballgame. But there were just a few missed opportunities I felt like would’ve turned this game around.”

As good as the defense was, the Flashes’ offense never quite kicked into gear. They only had 32 total yards in the first half and couldn’t capitalize on a couple of chances in the second.

The Flashes reached the 14-yard line midway through the third quarter, but a sack threw them back to the 25 and the drive ended in a turnover on downs. Their next possession started at midfield following a failed fake punt by the Raiders, but only got as far as the Riverfield 42 before stalling.

St. Al’s last possession advanced to Riverfield’s 22 and ended in an interception on a hurried throw by quarterback Sadler Lambiotte on fourth-and-10.

St. Al also had a punt blocked on its first possession of the third quarter, which led to a 1-yard TD run by Riverfield quarterback David Hale.

Herrington scored on a 6-yard run in the first quarter, and a 22-yard run with 2:48 left in the fourth that was the Raiders’ knockout punch.

Lambiotte finished 15-of-28 passing for 103 yards. Smith caught nine passes for 75 yards. Smith’s reception total was the third-best for a single game in St. Al history.

“We missed several opportunities. A couple of deep throws that we just overthrew that would’ve been points, that would’ve been huge,” Nettles said. “It’s terrible. I hate it for these kids. They keep fighting their tails off. I can’t ask for anything more from these kids.”

About Ernest Bowker

Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.

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