Sports
Gattle’s late touchdown lifts St. Aloysius past Madison St. Joe in thrilling homecoming win
St. Aloysius High School secured a thrilling 36-30 homecoming victory over Madison St. Joe, thanks to Grant Gattle’s late 10-yard touchdown run. This win marks the Flashes’ third consecutive victory, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
Last updated:
VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) —
With less than a minute remaining and their homecoming victory hanging in the balance, St. Aloysius High School refused to let another win slip away.
Quarterback Grant Gattle delivered when it mattered most, breaking free for a 10-yard touchdown run in the final minute to lift the Flashes to a thrilling 36-30 victory over Madison St. Joe on Friday night.
The dramatic finish gave St. Aloysius its third consecutive victory and kept the Flashes’ playoff hopes alive as they celebrated a memorable homecoming win over a longtime rival.
“It was great and a big rivalry game and we’ve been playing this since 1951,” St. Al head coach John Baker said. “We’re happy to get the win and this might just get us in the playoffs.”
Both teams entered halftime tied at 14, setting the stage for a second half filled with momentum swings and late-game heroics.
St. Aloysius wasted little time getting its offense moving in the third quarter. Gattle connected with Landyn Davis on a 15-yard pass before finding Reeves Sadler for another 12-yard gain. The Flashes eventually capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run by Gattle, and Louis Amborn added the extra point to give St. Al a 21-14 advantage.
Madison St. Joe answered just before the end of the third quarter, finding the end zone to even the score at 21.
The Bruins carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, connecting on a field goal to take a 24-21 lead.
However, St. Aloysius had no intentions of going down without a fight.
Running back Keller Bradley provided a much-needed spark, breaking free for gains of 30 and 19 yards to move the Flashes deep into Bruins territory. Gattle then connected with Davis on an 8-yard touchdown pass, putting St. Aloysius back in front 28-24 with 6:50 remaining.
The celebration was short-lived as Madison St. Joe responded with another scoring drive, reclaiming a 30-28 advantage with 4:10 left in regulation.
With time running out, Bradley once again put the Flashes in position to score, exploding for a 70-yard run. However, a missed field goal left St. Aloysius trailing by two points as the Bruins maintained their narrow lead.
That was when the Flashes’ defense answered the call.
St. Aloysius forced a crucial punt, giving its offense one final opportunity to steal the victory. Walt Andrews came through with a big punt return, bringing the ball inside Madison St. Joe territory and putting the Flashes in striking distance.
Gattle took advantage of the opportunity, racing into the end zone from 10 yards out for the go-ahead touchdown with less than a minute remaining.
He then connected with Andrews for a successful 2-point conversion, extending the Flashes’ lead to 36-30.
With Madison St. Joe desperately searching for one final score, the St. Aloysius defense refused to surrender another point. Whitt Zadrozny came through with a key pass deflection as the Flashes held on to secure the six-point victory.
Bradley turned in an outstanding performance on the ground, rushing for 177 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. His explosive runs throughout the second half helped keep the Flashes within striking distance.
Gattle also delivered an impressive performance, completing 9 of 16 passes with two passing touchdowns. He added 57 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground, including the game-winning score.
Andrews finished with four receptions for 54 yards and one receiving touchdown, while also contributing the crucial punt return and catching the late 2-point conversion.
Davis added 20 receiving yards and one touchdown, including the 8-yard scoring reception that briefly put the Flashes ahead in the fourth quarter. Amborn went 5 for 5 in extra points.
Friday’s victory marked the third consecutive win for St. Aloysius (3-5), which has found its rhythm at a critical point in the season.
The Flashes will look to continue their winning streak when they host Adams County Christian School on Friday.
Other games:
Porter’s Chapel Academy took a 43-0 loss to Christ Covenant. Grayson Price had two tackles and a sack for PCA. The Eagles’ depth chart continues to suffer due to multiple injuries.
PCA still has a shot at the playoffs as they will face Central Holmes Christian at home next Friday.
