One comeback was all St. Aloysius had in the tank on Tuesday night.

Madison-Ridgeland Academy scored four goals in a 13-minute span — two just before halftime and two right after the break — to blow open a tight game and beat the Flashes 6-4.

St. Al had erased an early two-goal deficit, but the four-goal hole was too deep to climb out of.
St. Al (1-2) lost for the second time in three games to start the season, but coach Scott Mathis was not concerned at all. He noted that Tuesday’s loss and an earlier defeat to Jackson Academy were both against traditional Class AAAA powers, and that the real goal is to be hoisting a state championship trophy in February.

The Flashes reached the Class AAA semifinals last season before losing to four-time defending state champion Central Hinds. St. Al and Central Hinds are both in District 3-AAA and will play twice in the regular season in January.

“We didn’t give up. With one senior and a couple of juniors, these guys are young. They’re getting in better shape, they’re not cramping up, I can’t complain,” Mathis said. “I’m just focusing on these games so we can beat the heck out of everybody in our district. I’m taking it to Central Hinds this year.”

MRA jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals by Seth Watson and Will Fairly in the first 14 minutes Tuesday, but the Flashes answered with two quick goals of their own.

Jack Dowe converted a turnover deep in MRA’s end into an easy goal, and then Kieran Theriot knocked in a rebound to tie it in the 31st minute.

The tie, however, only lasted about five minutes. Cole Farrior scored twice in the last four minutes of the half to give MRA a 4-2 lead. On the other side of the break, Wilson Benton tapped the ball in following a scrum in front of the net in the 50th minute, and Mac McDaniel scored in the 51st to push it to 6-2.

St. Al got two goals back against MRA’s backups — Ryan Theriot scored in the 65th minute and Benjamin Lobred converted a penalty kick in the 71st — but the Patriots’ starters returned to the game for the final moments to keep the Flashes at bay.