Heading into the home stretch of the season, a team’s health is a big determining factor for success.

With a 1-5 record following last Friday’s 21-0 loss to rival Cathedral, St. Aloysius needs a strong push to end the year on a good note. Injuries, however, are mounting.

St. Al coach B.J. Smithhart said more young players will have to step in and fill the gaps.

‘We are pretty banged up right now,” Smithhart said. “Coming into the Cathedral game, we had had three kids tear ACLs (knee ligaments) over the last three weeks.”

Instead of having a full 37-man squad, the Flashes are down to 34 active players. The numbers game had an effect as Cathedral, with 48 players dressed, wore down St. Al in the second half. The Green Wave went on an eight-play, 78-yard drive late in the third quarter. A 21-yard TD run by Kyle Bradley with 10:41 left sealed the win for Cathedral.

“Normally, we are a spread-you-out-and-pass team, but with the injuries to our quarterback and best receiver, the power running game was the best fit for us,” Cathedral coach Ron Rushing said.

For Smithhart, the bright spots are the number of players who are getting reps on offense and defense, and the fact that most will be back next season. Twenty-four of St. Al’s 37 players are freshmen and sophomores. The team has three seniors, and only two, linebackers Elliott Bexley and Sage Lewis, start.

“Everybody is getting to play a lot, so that’s a good thing,” Smithhart said.

One of the young players is freshman lineman Josh Price. He’s the younger brother of current Hinds Community College lineman Norman Price, but already he has become a two-way starter for the Flashes at defensive tackle and right offensive tackle.

Sophomore Drake Dorbeck was moved from tight end to left tackle after an injury to sophomore center Bash Brown. With 270-pounders Jacob Kitchens and Paxton Austin at guard, the Flashes have a big offensive line to build around for the future.

Freshman wide receiver DeMichael Harris has made plays the last two weeks. His 13-yard run off the jet sweep was the Flashes’ longest of the Cathedral game. He also had a 70-yard kickoff return in the team’s 33-7 win at Hartfield Academy two weeks ago.