Mendenhall — Dee Fleming scored four total touchdowns and racked up nearly 200 all-purpose yards as the Cathedral Green Wave (5-1) improved to 2-0 in district play with a 40-24 win against previously undefeated Simpson Academy (5-1).

“We beat a great team tonight,” Cathedral head coach Ron Rushing said. “Teams don’t just go to Simpson and win games.”

After a big game last week, Rushing said he was hoping to get the ball into Fleming’s hands more, and he was able to Friday.

“We were getting the screen to him, and then late in the game, we could hand him the ball. He was making some great runs,” Rushing said. “That iced it late in the game.”

Quarterback Connor Mire also threw three touchdown passes in the win, two to Fleming and one to Craig Bradley to go along with 165 passing yards.

“He’s getting better every game,” Rushing said of Mire. “He throws the ball as well as anybody I’ve had, and he’s getting comfortable.”

On the defensive side of the ball, James Allen Coley led the charge with 18 total tackles.

“He was all over the field from the first to last play,” Rushing said. “He played really well tonight.”

Rushing said the win is huge for Cathedral, especially with being in a new district.

“This is huge,” Rushing said. “Not many teams come down here and win, and it puts us in a great position in the district at 2-0 and gives us some confidence to build on. It also makes us more relevant in the new association and district.”