St. Aloysius running back Rob Jones pushes a Salem player out of the way during the Flashes’ 38-20 homecoming win on Friday night. The Flashes will play host to Mize tonight at 7:30 p.m. (Gary HaygoodSubmitted to The Vicksburg Post)

[10/10/03]When St. Aloysius takes the field tonight, it will face one of the toughest opponents it will see all year, maybe even the toughest.

The Mize Bulldogs, 4-2 and winners of their last four games, will bring a strong running attack and staunch defense into tonight’s 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

“The scouting report is about the same as it was last year,” said St. Al coach Jim Taylor, whose team is coming off a 38-20 win over Salem that ended a four-game skid. “They have speedy running backs, good size and aggressive linemen. Their quarterback is just another running back.”

The Bulldogs, a team that won Class 1A state championships in 1988, 1995 and 2000, are led by running back Jasper Ducksworth.

The sophomore, the latest in a long list of Ducksworths from Mize to show star potential, has rushed for more than 950 yards in only six games.

“He’s more of a scatback,” Mize coach Kenny Robinson said. “He does a good job for us.”

Perry Jones and Lakendrick Easterling will see time at running back, and junior Tony Agee will line up under center.

“Against Dexter, we didn’t have to throw much,” Robinson said of his team’s 50-6 win on Friday. “We’ve thrown for 151 once and 115 once, so we can throw the ball if we need to.”

St. Al will counter with the talented backfield tandem of quarterback Drew Mazzanti and Rob Jones. Jones is among the area leaders in rushing. Mazzanti has thrown for nearly 500 yards and five touchdowns, but has been intercepted four times in the Flashes’ run-oriented offense.

Last season, St. Al fell to Mize on the road, 6-0, but coaches said this game will have a much different feel about it than last year’s matchup.

“We lost eight starters on offense and they lost 10,” Robinson said.

Mize sits atop the Region 4-1A standings at 4-2 overall and 4-0 in the region. The Bulldogs are tied with Mount Olive for first place.

St. Aloysius won its first region game last week and sits behind in the standings at 1-3.

“We’ve been playing better,” Taylor said. “We played much better last week as a team and I look for that to continue.”