For the first time in four years, St. Aloysius’ regular-season finale will not be the final game of its football season.

The Flashes (2-7, 1-2 MAIS District 2-4A) will go on the road Friday to play Winston Academy (5-4, 1-2) with a playoff berth secured. Their first-round opponent is still unknown, but they were enjoying the thought that there will be a next week.

“I don’t think we’re going to be able to get home field, but we’re happy to be here. Happy to get to play another week,” St. Al coach Walker Mosby said. “It’s a great feeling to know that you have an extra week, and to know you have a shot at a state championship. That’s all we want, is an opportunity to compete and to keep fighting and hold up that trophy.”

Twelve teams qualify for the MAIS Class 4A playoffs — three district champions who get the top seeds, and then nine wild cards selected and seeded based on the association’s power point formula.

St. Aloysius is currently holding the No. 10 seed. There are scenarios where it could move up to No. 9 or down to No. 11 depending on Friday’s results, but the most likely one is that it stays put and plays No. 7 seed Wayne Academy next week.

Were the Flashes to drop to No. 11, it would likely mean a rematch with Winston Academy — which is holding the No. 6 seed — next Friday. Mosby said he wasn’t worrying about that, or showing the Patriots too much this week.

“I think we need to focus on winning this week and beating them this week, and then we don’t have to worry about it,” Mosby said. “That’s where our mindset is at, is just focus on this week, win, and then if we’ve got to play them again we’ve got to play them again and it is what it is.”

By any measure, this season has been a step forward for St. Al’s football program. It snapped a school-record 23-game losing streak by beating Clinton Christian in September and added a second win last week with a 28-7 blowout of Manchester Academy.

Five of its seven losses have been competitive games in the fourth quarter, after it lost all but two games by at least 21 points last season. And now it will end with a playoff appearance regardless of what happens this week.

Mosby said a solid defense and figuring out an offensive identity have been the keys to improving as the season progressed. St. Al rushed for nearly 300 yards and had three defensive takeaways against Manchester.

“For us it was sticking to who we are. We did the same thing against Clinton Christian and we won that game, and the two games after Clinton Christian I kind of got away from it. That’s my fault,” Mosby said. “We’re just accepting who we are offensively. The defense has played great and would’ve played better if I could have given us some points early on. That’s been the difference, is we’re figuring out and understand who we are.”

FRIDAY’S AREA GAMES
All games start at 7 p.m.
St. Aloysius at Winston Academy (Radio: 101.3 FM)
Neshoba Central at Warren Central (Radio: 105.5 FM)
Prairie View at Porter’s Chapel (Radio: 104.5 FM)
Tallulah Academy at Claiborne Academy
Port Gibson at Franklin County
Madison Parish at Delhi Charter