RIDGELAND — Ryan Theriot hit the crossbar once and the post with another shot. He pushed a few wide or high, and had some stopped by the keeper.

It was the kind of effort that could have led to frustration for the junior striker from St. Aloysius. It was a good thing, then, that he’d already found the net three times before his luck turned south.

Theriot recorded three goals in the first half, and Tripp Curtis added another as St. Al beat Cleveland Central 4-0 Saturday at the HUDL Showcase at Freedom Ridge Park in Ridgeland.

“We worked a lot better as a team today than we did yesterday,” Theriot said. “They didn’t have many chances to do anything in our end. Our defense stepped up and gave us a lot of chances on offense. They gave us a lot of space in the middle to do whatever we wanted to do and we just took advantage of it.”

St. Al won two of its three games in the tournament. It also beat Newton County 5-2 on Saturday, and lost 8-0 to Florence on Friday night.

Theriot added three more goals in the win over Newton County, while Kieran Theriot and Lee Hanks had one each. Jack Dowe had three assists, and the Theriot brothers had one each.
Theriot has 21 goals already this season.

“You look at Ryan and his chances and his opportunities, that’s a striker,” St. Al coach Scott Mathis said. “A striker is either on or he’s not. He got three goals and he did great, but you look at him and he’s like, ‘Uh-uh, I’m not happy at all.’ But that’s how a striker it. I expect him to have 15 shots a game.”

St. Al (5-3) was shut out in the second half despite holding a 16-0 advantage in shots on goal, but generated enough chances to dominate the game. All of its goals came in the first 20 minutes of the game, which for the tournament was shortened to 60 minutes from the regular 80.

Kieran Theriot and Dowe had two assists apiece for the Flashes. Goal keeper Cody Livingston made 12 saves for Cleveland Central (5-3).

The wins gave St. Al a boost heading into the holiday break. All three of its losses have come against perennial state powers — Jackson Academy, Madison-Ridgeland Academy and Florence — and it already has three wins in District 3-AAA to its credit.

The next game isn’t until Jan. 8 at Hillcrest Christian, which should give the Flashes plenty of time to rest some minor injuries and prepare for what it hopes is a state championship run. St. Al lost in the Class AAA semifinals last season.

“We should have played a little bit better, but you get in these games just to play and see what you’ve got,” Mathis said. “These boys are seeing something new in these bigger teams. Something more than we’re used to seeing in the MAIS.”

(B) Warren Central 4, Terry 0
Warren Central 1, Lewisburg 1

Despite playing without its leading scorer Braylen Greer, who was out sick, Warren Central was able to pick up a win and a tie on the second day of the HUDL Showcase in Ridgeland.

Brandon Gilliam converted a penalty kick and Chase Graham made five saves as the Vikings tied Lewisburg in the first half of Saturday’s doubleheader.

In game two, Karsten Keyes scored a pair of goals and assisted on another, while Hank Holdiness had a goal and an assist to lead the Vikings (11-3-2) to a rout of Terry.

John William Madison had WC’s other goal, and Sean Dixon contribued an assist. Warren Central outshot Terry 18-3.

The victory helped salvage the weekend for the Vikings. They lost 3-0 to Jackson Prep on Friday night to snap a four-game winning streak.

(G) Warren Central 4, Kosciusko 3
Florence 5, Warren Central 0

Warren Central’s girls’ soccer team concluded a solid run at the HUDL Showcase by beating Kosciusko on Saturday.

The Lady Vikes scored four goals in the first half and rallied after falling behind 2-0 in the first five minutes of the game. Katelyn Morson scored two goals and assisted on two more, while Laney Smith and Jada Lee also scored.

Ja’Laycia Brown had two goals for Kosciusko.

Warren Central started its three-game run at the tournament by beating Terry 2-0 on Friday night. Morson and Aryn Greer each had a goal.

The Lady Vikes finished things out with a shutout loss to Florence, however.