After two games, patterns are starting to emerge for the St. Aloysius Flashes.

They’re going to have some big plays and score points on offense. Opponents are going to avoid their big linemen and run to the outside. And, most troubling, they’re gaining a reputation as slow starters.

The first two, coach BJ Smithhart figures, he’ll live with. The last is something he hopes changes soon, as St. Al (1-1) hits the road to face Madison-St. Joseph (1-1) on Friday night in its final tune-up before region play begins next week.

The Flashes have been outscored 28-3 in the first quarter this season. They dug out of a 14-point hole last week to beat Pisgah, but need to start faster to have any sort of long-term success, Smithhart said.

“If it was just one thing, we could fix it,” Smithhart said. “Our kids were like that last year. I don’t know if it’s adjusting to the speed of the game or what. We have a lot of guys that have only played two games. They’re getting better, but it takes time.”

St. Al has four newcomers — Jake Pierce, George Tzotzolas, Rett Verhine and Brandon Teller — filling its linebacker corps, which has been part of the reason for the slow starts, Smithhart said.

The quartet has combined for 19 tackles so far, but is being tested often as teams run outside to avoid St. Al’s mammoth and experienced defensive line. It’s led to some growing pains. Cathedral — the No. 1 team in Class 1A — rushed for more than 400 yards in the opener, and Pisgah jumped out to a 14-0 lead last week on the strength of the perimeter running game.

The Flashes, however, kept Pisgah scoreless over the last three quarters. That helped set the stage for the offense and special teams to score 35 unanswered points.

“We didn’t seem to be gang tackling. Then we played tougher outside and everybody was gang tackling,” Smithhart said. “Defensively, we did a lot better. We’re probably going to see that for the rest of the year, so we’d better learn how to deal with it.”

Madison-St. Joe won its opener against Lake, then was drubbed 34-7 by Cathedral last Friday night. Smithhart said that was likely a case of Cathedral being a budding juggernaut, and not St. Joe struggling.

St. Joe is 32-7 over the last three seasons and has won four in a row in the series with St. Al.

“It’s a good test. I think they’re probably better than the score showed last week,” Smithhart said.