Even though it almost seems like a requirement for anyone associated with St. Aloysius to have a distaste for archrival Cathedral, football coach BJ Smithhart admits he’s got a healthy respect for his green-clad counterpart Ron Rushing.

So much so, Smithhart jokes, that he often drops Rushing’s name any time he hears of a job opening at a bigger school.

“I talk him up,” Smithhart said with a laugh. “Maybe we can get him to move on.”

Alas, Rushing — who has led Cathedral to a 37-13 record in four seasons as head coach — doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. That means Smithhart will just have to find a way to beat him.

The St. Al-Cathedral rivalry will be renewed Friday night at Balzli Field in the season opener for both teams. St. Al hasn’t beaten the Green Wave since 2009, and its seniors are eager to finally taste victory.

“We haven’t beaten them, junior high through 11th grade. It just keeps adding on,” St. Al senior lineman Drake Dorbeck said. “It keeps building up. It’s always been a rivalry.”

The rivalry is just one facet of the game’s importance, though.

Both teams are hoping to not only start the season with a win, but use it as a springboard to a season for the ages.

St. Al reached the Class 1A semifinals in 2013 and is eager to prove its playoff run wasn’t a fluke. The Flashes are among the favorites to compete for the North State championship, and beating one of the better teams from the South would certainly make a statement.

“There’s a lot of things that go into it. It’s not a district game, but it’s the start of the season. It’s a rivalry. It’s one of the best teams in the South,” Smithhart said. “It’s big for a lot of reasons. We’ll definitely know where we stand come Saturday.”

Cathedral finished with an 8-4 record last season, but was on the wrong end of a four-way tiebreaker in the super-tough Region 4-1A and missed the playoffs.

Quarterback Tyler Garrity, who threw 45 touchdown passes last season, has graduated, but the Green Wave’s spread offense still seems to have plenty of weapons.

Receiver Jardarius Anderson (85 receptions, 1,477 yards, 19 TDs) is only a junior. He’s joined by Trinity transfer Dee Fleming on the outside. Another Trinity transfer, Wyatt Boothe, will be the quarterback.

The Wave doesn’t appear to have lost a step on offense with its new combination. Boothe was 4-for-4 passing for 134 yards and three touchdowns in three series during last week’s 35-6 jamboree win over Wilkinson County Christian Academy.

On the first play of the jamboree, Boothe and Fleming hooked up for a 70-yard touchdown pass.

That talent level, Smithhart said, is what really amps up the difficulty of breaking the Flashes’ losing streak in the rivalry.

“It’s tough because they’re good. They’re really good. It doesn’t matter when you play them — first game, last game — they’re good,” Smithhart said. “It’s the same thing as always. They’re well-prepared, do their assignments, and play really hard. That’s the three things you need to be a good football team.”

On the radio

Friday, 7 p.m., 101.3 FM

Cathedral at St. Aloysius