There was no public talk of revenge from the St. Aloysius locker room leading up to Friday night’s rematch with John F. Kennedy. Coach BJ Smithhart’s team was subdued in their rhetoric regarding the team that smacked them 50-13 last season in their worst loss of the year.

The Flashes didn’t have to do a lot of talking. They let their performance say it all.

On just the third play from scrimmage, defensive lineman Drake Dorbeck launched his 6-foot-6, 315-pound frame into the air to pick off a tipped pass to set the tone for the night. Connor Smith punched in the gift on a quarterback keeper shortly after to put St. Al ahead, and the rout was on from there.

The Flashes (6-1, 4-0) waltzed to a 41-22 win over the Hornets to remain unbeaten in Region 2-1A and served up a little payback in the process.

“They’ve been looking forward to this one,” Smithhart said. “I know we didn’t want to talk about revenge, but they’re human. They knew. They were really fired up and they really played well.”

Dorbeck’s interception sparked the beatdown. St. Al scored on its first six possessions of the game. Tae Warnsley took an option pitch 25 yards to the house to make it 14-0 and, after a JFK touchdown brought the game to 14-7, Casey Landers pushed his way in from one yard out to jumpstart the onslaught.

But on a night in which both sides of the ball shined, no single player was brighter than running back DeMichael Harris. The junior rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone, and finished with 133 yards on 16 carries.

“DeMichael is special. He’s having a great year. I think the line is giving him some good gaps and he’s really exploiting it and going,” Smithhart said. “It doesn’t take him much. He’s quick as a hiccup. All the backs are really running hard and playing good.”

St. Al cruised to an enormous 41-8 lead before JFK stopped the bleeding with two garbage time touchdowns late in the game, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Flashes from enjoying the reversal of roles.

“All the guys are rallying, and I just keep telling them we’re going to get tested,” Smithhart said. “It’s going to get more and more important each week. We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing.”

St. Al will go back on the road next Friday to face a Ray Brooks team that has yet to win a region game.

St. Al 41, Kennedy 22

Records: St. Al (6-1, 4-0 Region 2-1A); Kennedy (2-5, 1-2)

Up next: St. Al at Ray Brooks

Skinny: Flashes cruise, stay undefeated in region play