NATCHEZ — A 20-yard rushing touchdown for Blake LePrairie in the third quarter sealed the 40-23 win against the St. Aloysius Flashes on Friday night.

In total, the Rebels scored five rushing touchdowns on 256 rushing yards.

“Each week it becomes apparent that we’re not effective as we have been in the past throwing the football,” said Rebels Head Coach David King. “We really concentrated on the fact we have to run the football. We’re getting better at it each week because that’s what we are forced to do.”

There were six different Rebels who scored rushing touchdowns in the game.

The first rushing touchdown was scored by D.J. Stampley in the first quarter. Stampley ran the ball for 10-yards. Stampley ran the ball nine times and picked up 98 yards.

Claven Dunbar ran the ball eight times for 45 yards and scored a 5-yard rushing touchdown. Dunbar said he came out onto the field with a mindset set on winning.

“I loved the way we were working together as a team. I liked how we all stayed together, even when we made mistakes. We always stayed together,” Dunbar said about the Rebels offensive scoring abilities as a team.

With 57 seconds left in the second quarter, the Flashes were able to score their first touchdown of the game. Kieran Theriot threw a 50-yard pass to Trinye Brown and scored. Flashes Head Coach Michael Fields said the Flashes offense was lack lustered at the beginning of Friday night’s game.

On defense, Wes Stockstill also made an interception. Corey Sewell and Jack Whitehead were able to teamed up for a sack of the Flashes’ quarterback.

Rhett McDonald led the Rebels defense with seven tackles.

LePrairie was key on both offense and defense. On offense, LePrairie ran the ball two times for 25 yards and rushed for a 20-yard touchdown.

On defense, LePrairie caught an interception and picked up four tackles.

“We came together as a team. We made good tackles and worked as a team to stop the Flashes from scoring,” LePrairie said about the Rebels’ defensive efforts.

In the fourth quarter, the Flashes offense came alive.

The Rebels were set to punt from their end zone. The ball went over the punter’s head and out of the end zone for a safety for the Flashes.

Ben Ulery scored the second offensive touchdown on a 2-yard run. Then, with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter, Brennon Williams scored on a 17-yard touchdown.

“Our players didn’t quit, and they just played hard,” Fields said about his players in the game. “As long as the kids don’t quit, that’s all we can be proud of.”

The Flashes (3-5, 2-2 Midsouth Association of Independent Schools District 3-5A) will host Washington High School next Friday night.

The Rebels (6-2, 2-1 MAIS District 3-5A) will host Centreville Academy for senior night at 7 p.m. Friday.