NATCHEZ — Cathedral High School head coach Ron Rushing is not making excuses.

Don’t talk to him about the fact that his starting quarterback, starting running back and one of his main wide receivers are out. Rushing himself took the blame as the Green Wave fell to Salem High School 14-12 in overtime Friday night.

“We didn’t play with any intensity,” Rushing said. “We drove the ball down but shot ourselves in the foot with penalties or bad play.

“Offensively, I never got into a rhythm. I could have done a better job calling plays, especially in overtime.”

Cathedral was without quarterback Thomas Garrity, who has a shoulder injury. Wide receiver Ishmael Blackmon and running back Khalil Brice were also out with injuries.

“We have injuries, but we have kids out there that can play, and we didn’t make plays,” Rushing said.

Tied 6-6 at the end of regulation, Salem’s Stevie Quinn scored on the opening possession of overtime with a 10-yard run. David Carr got the two-point run for Salem, forcing the Green Wave to go for two if they scored.

Cathedral punched it in from the 1-yard line on their possession on a run by Christian Jenkins, but the two-point run failed, sealing Salem’s victory.

Cathedral outgained Salem on offense with 222 total yards to Salem’s 104, but the Green Wave managed just one touchdown in regulation on a 30-yard run by Jenkins with 6:59 left in the fourth.

Salem scored at the 5:20 mark in the first quarter on a 7-yard carry by Tae Tae Smith.

Yet another Green Wave player went down with an injury, as linebacker/running back Peyton Jenkins sustained a shoulder injury in the second quarter. Rushing said he wasn’t sure if missing so many key starters contributed to the lack of intensity.

“We played great defense all night; that’s what kept us in the game,” Rushing said. “We had some guys out there not used to making plays. They’ll get better as they get experience, and we’re not going to make excuses.”

Tyler Stockstill got the start for Cathedral, going 11-for-21 in passing with 64 yards and an interception. Christian Jenkins led the Green Wave in rushing with 156 yards on 29 carries.

Cathedral (3-2) will play at rival St. Aloysius next week.