When the head coaches recall last season’s second-round Class 3A state playoff game at Madison Academy’s Bill Washington Stadium, both Bob Godsey and Sylvania’s Tyler Vann agree the thriller was an incredible game.

Sylvania beat Madison Academy 48-45 in overtime on the way to an appearance in the semifinals and a 10-4 finish. The Mustangs, who were ranked 10th and finished 9-3 with the loss, were one stellar defensive play in regulation away from advancing.

“I thought we had it won in regulation, but they had a safety who made an incredible play on the ball,” Madison Academy’s Godsey said.

Josh Scott made a leaping interception in the end zone on a Carson Creehan throw with 13 seconds left to send the game into extra time. It was only the fourth interception of the season for Creehan.

“We gave up a sack on the first play in overtime,” Godsey said, “and ended up kicking a field goal. They scored on third down, I think, (actually second down) to win the game.”

Vann remembers a struggle in the first half – the Mustangs scored on all five of its possessions and were up 35-21 at the break – and a strong recovery.

“We couldn’t stop them,” the coach said. “We were not lined up on defense very well. I looked back at that film this week and was kind of embarrassed to be the head coach. We just could not get lined up. We made some adjustments and in the second half I think we got lined up better and got after them a little bit.

“They were a really good football team and we made the plays at the end to win it. We were lucky to get out of there. It was a fun game to coach, looking back at it, but in the middle – not so much.”

The coaches will match wits again on Friday, this time in a third-round showdown. Undefeated Madison Academy (12-0) is ranked second behind Mobile Christian – also 12-0 – while Sylvania is ranked ninth at 10-2.

RELATED: 5 Huntsville area games to watch

RELATED: 10 playoff storylines this week

“We know each other very well after last year,” Godsey said. “Both of us return a lot of guys who played in that game last year. Like all teams that are still playing, they are extremely well coached, they play extremely hard and they have the players to do those things.

“We have a lot of guys who played in that game and remember what it was all about. It was a back-and-forth affair. They made two, three or four plays in the game to win. It’s kind of the way playoff football is, you play all night for those two, three, four or five plays that make the difference. They made those plays.”

Vann, who is 28-9 in his third season leading the Rams, said, “Oh, man, if there was just an easy answer to playing Madison Academy. We’re going to have to play physical football, find a way to control the line of scrimmage. They are really well coached. Offensively, they do what they do, but they do what they do really well.

“Something our guys take pride in is playing physical. To beat anybody, especially somebody as good as Madison Academy, you have to be. They are undefeated for a reason.”

The Mustangs have a reputation for offense, ranking No. 1 in 3A and sixth in the state in scoring, according to statistics from the Alabama High School Football Historical Society (ahsfhs.org), at 50.7 points per game. Running back Ken Cherry has run for 2,374 yards – 16.6 yards per carry – and scored 34 touchdowns. He is averaging 197.8 yards per game with more than 100 yards in every game. Josh Williams has 1,313 yards with 19 touchdowns on the ground.

“We have a lot of experience in that we have two offensive linemen who are four-year starters,” Godsey said, “have another in his second year as a starter and our two first-year starters have really progressed as the year has gone on. I think it starts with those up front.”

The four-year starters are Reese Baker – a 6-foot-5, 290-pound right tackle – and Broche Horton (5-11, 245) at center. Right guard Austin Chambers is 6-3, 260 is in his second season as a starter. “Rookies” Ajay Seaton (5-9, 301) and Demarcus Peoples (6-2, 212) start at left guard and left tackle, respectively.

“Running the football is kind of where we like to hang our hat, so to speak,” Godsey said. “To be able to do that, you have to be able to throw it as well. Jake (Poldiak) is completing 80 percent of his passes and only turned it over two times. Jackson Reece (a 6-0, 191-pound senior) has over 1,000 yards as a receiver.

“We’re really a well-balanced machine. Everybody kind of feeds off each other. It really makes it fun.”

Poldiak has thrown for 1,881 yards and 22 touchdowns. Reece’s 65 catches have yielded 1,032 yards and 12 touchdowns.

The Mustangs are also second in Class 3A in scoring defense, according to AHSFHS, allowing 10.1 points a game, and Godsey said his team must play well to survive Sylvania’s attack. The Rams score 37.4 points a game.

“Last week (in a 21-14 win over Wing-T Mars Hill), they kind of kept the ball away from us,” Godsey said. “We want to be balanced as far as run/pass, but we also want our offense and defense to complement each other. We didn’t do it as much last week. We allowed them to keep the ball too much. We want to go out and make stops and keep the ball offensively.

“Offensively, Sylvania plays spread on one series, then they put 11 guys in jumbo sets. They make you defend the whole field.”

Linebacker AJ Rice, a 6-2, 232-pound junior who is committed to Mississippi State, leads the Madison Academy defense with 49 solo tackles and 101 total stops. He has 11 tackles for loss and 2 sacks. Rice has played into the second half in only five of the Mustangs’ games.

Senior nose tackle Khamoni Merrell has 19 tackles behind the line with 4 sacks. “Some of the miscues (Mars Hill) had with their center/quarterback exchange last week were because Khamoni was on the other side,” Godsey said.

“Probably the two guys who make the biggest difference for us on defense are Josh Williams and Keaton Watson, who are kind of our edge players,” Godsey said. “They are safety/linebacker types and their play really sets up our defense.”

Sylvania’s two losses were on Sept. 29 at home to now 11-1 Pisgah, 40-34, and in the final week of the regular season 21-10 at home to 11-1 Fyffe. Both of those teams are also playing in the state quarterfinals this week.

“Our defense has gotten better and better as the year has gone on,” Vann said, of his squad that has allowed 16.5 points a game, but just 10 in the playoffs – all in last week’s 35-10 win over Winfield. “We take pride in putting hats on the football.

“Offensively, we throw the ball. I think we’ve thrown for right at 1,600 yards and run for 2,100. We try to run the football and be physical to stop the run. If we can’t stop the run this week, there’s a zero percent chance we can win.”

Rams junior QB Griffin Turner has passed for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns with 6 interceptions. Junior Aiden Parham has rushed for 2,209 yards and 24 TDs with seven games of at least 100 yards. Senior Zack Anderson has run for 442 yards on 44 carries with 7 touchdowns. Junior Roman McKeehan has caught 30 passes for 582 yards and 7 scores.

Sylvania lost four starters from last season’s team, two who were instrumental in the OT win at Madison Academy: Scott, who made the game-saving interception, and running back Braiden Thomas, who ran for 258 yards and scored four TDs – including the game-winner.

The survivor on Friday plays the winner of the No. 5 Lauderdale County vs. No. 8 Geraldine game in the semifinals.