Editor’s Note: This story will appear in “Playmakers,” The Vicksburg Post’s annual football preview magazine. The 48-page special edition will be included with the Aug. 24-25 weekend edition of The Post and includes previews, features and more for all of Warren County’s high school teams.

The St. Aloysius Flashes are borrowing an old familiar football motto for the 2024 season.

Just win, baby.

Just once.

The Flashes have not won since the 2022 season opener. They’ve lost 19 consecutive games since then, the longest streak in the history of a proud program that played its first game in 1910. Last season marked the first time they’d gone winless since finishing 0-2 in 1913.

The first, and biggest, goal for 2024 is putting those dark times and all talk of the losing streak well behind them.

“We’re just trying to win one,” first-year head coach Walker Mosby said. “These guys, I truly believe they are great football players and great young men. But winning that first one is going to mean a lot. It’s going to show these guys they can do it. They can compete at the highest level against some of the best teams in the state.”

St. Al will certainly have a chance to compete against the best. The first four games include the defending MAIS Class 5A and 4A champions Adams County Christian and Tri-County, respectively. Two more evenly-matched opponents are sandwiched in between, against Cathedral (2-8 in 2023) and East Rankin (3-7).

“I think every team that we play this year is a great football team. That is what it is. We play who we play,” Mosby said. “We shouldn’t be concerned about who we play. We should just go out there and compete. I’m not asking these guys to be miracle workers. I’m asking these guys to compete. I don’t care if we’re playing the Saints, we compete.”

The good news is that St. Al is probably better equipped to win this season than last. A roster that dwindled to as few as 15 healthy players because of injuries last season entered the 2024 opener against ACCS with nearly 40.
Among them are multiple-year starters like lineman Clark Hobson, quarterback/defensive back Carson Smith, and running back/linebacker Thompson Fortenberry.

They are among nine seniors on the team, and are not the only experienced players. A number of sophomores, juniors and even freshmen have gotten a lot of playing time the past two years because of a lack of depth and small rosters.

“I’ve been very impressed with their football I.Q. It has been phenomenal,” Mosby said. “I know a good bit of them have had a lot of game experience and that’s been great.”

Besides being on the field, the Flashes have by necessity been cross-trained at several positions.

Smith had a three-game stint at receiver while recovering from a shoulder injury and had the unique accomplishment of leading the team in passing yards (900) last season, as well as receiving (15 catches for 182 yards). That also allowed junior Sadler Lambiotte to get some valuable reps at quarterback.

Other position groups have similarly mixed and matched to plug holes. Fortenberry led the team with 523 rushing yards, but was limited to four games at running back because of an injury. Juniors Robert Lee and Pierson Smith got plenty of carries and will form part of a committee backfield again.

“Our quarterback group with Carson and Sadler has so much experience. Our receiving corps has been great and the O-line has experience as well. Even our ninth-graders have shown they can step up and play. I’m excited about that,” Mosby said.

Mosby added that a big part of breaking the program out of its doldrums is changing attitudes. Losing can become a self-perpetuating thing once it sets in. Dialing in on the small picture rather than the big one is part of his approach.

“If you’ve got 11 guys on the field that will bite somebody’s kneecap off, you’re going to find ways to get yards or stop the other team,” he said. “I don’t see any weakness in any position group. It’s just a football team. These guys go out there and compete.”

To that end, Mosby said the goal is to win one yard, one play at a time. That will lead to winning one game, and then another and another.

“Let’s win that week,” Mosby said. “Win that one football game that’s in front of us. Don’t worry about the next nine. Compete and win that one that’s that week. That’s it.”

Once they do win, Hobson said he thinks the dam will burst and more will follow.

“I think once we win one game we’ll start winning a bunch,” Hobson said. “We just need one.”

2024 St. Aloysius schedule
All games start at 7 p.m.
Aug. 23 — at Adams County Christian School
Aug. 30 — Cathedral
Sept. 6 — at East Rankin
Sept. 13 — *Tri-County
Sept. 20 — *at Clinton Christian
Sept. 27 — *Central Hinds
Oct. 4 — at Riverfield
Oct. 11 — Columbia Academy
Oct. 18 — Manchester
Oct. 25 — *at Winston Academy
*MAIS District 2-4A games