The date has been highlighted in red ink for a year now.

On the radio

Friday 7:30 p.m., 104.5FM

St. Aloysius vs. Bogue Chitto

Last season, St. Aloysius had to play a grueling schedule in a bloated division. The Flashes had to face a murderers’ row of 10 Division 4-1A games and faced the prospect of one loss being a mortal blow to their playoff hopes.

That loss came right out of the gate, as Bogue Chitto earned a 34-21 victory in the season-opener. But what made the taste even more bitter was how the Flashes lost. They owned a 21-0 lead in the second quarter, but the Bobcats reeled off 34 unanswered points to spoil B.J. Smithhart’s coaching debut.

“Last year, we had a new system and we didn’t have time to work out the kinks,” Smithhart said. “Our goal is to host a playoff game and we’ve got to win this one. I think we’ll be pretty fired up for this one.”

The biggest thing that sticks in the craw of the Flashes is what happened in the second half last year. Bogue Chitto rushed for 206 of its 280 yards in the second half.

“This is a big game,” offensive lineman Matt Wooten said. “You’re always mad about what happened last year, but we’re in way better shape than we were last year. First game, we started cramping up and we lost it.”

But the Flashes (3-1) enter Friday’s Division 4-1A opener against visiting Bogue Chitto a different team. The Flashes have improved in all four of their non-division games this season. They rallied to win late against a tough Greenville-St. Joe squad and dominated Tallulah Academy and Madison-St. Joe.

It’s all starting to come together.

However, one key factor for Bogue Chitto (1-3) is no more. Do-it-all quarterback Seth Avants, who was the focal point for the offense, has graduated. His 72-yard kickoff return was one of the big plays that helped break the Flashes last season.

“They’re going to be younger as a whole after they lost that big senior class that included Avants,” Smithhart said. “He was all-everything, they were going to take a hit losing that group of kids, but they’ve played some good football teams and their record doesn’t show they’re improving.”

Senior wingback Byron Kersee takes over as the Bobcats’ primary rushing threat. He has 449 yards this season, including a pair of 100-yard games.

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Contact Steve Wilson at swilson@vicksburgpost.com