At the start of every rollercoaster line in America, there are signs warning those with heart trouble not to ride.

Maybe St. Aloysius should consider putting a few up at the entrance to Balzli Field.

The Flashes have had plenty of heart-stopping moments this season, from a wingback pass for a game-winning touchdown against Noxapater to last Friday’s 27-point fourth quarter at Nanih Waiya. And, for once, they’ve been on the right side of things and find themselves in the chase for a Region 3-1A playoff berth as they hit the road to face No. 3 Puckett tonight.

Five of St. Al’s seven games, including each of the last four, have been decided by a touchdown or less. The Flashes have won three of those and sit third in the region behind Lake and frontrunner Puckett.

St. Al is also a game ahead of Pisgah, Noxapater and Nanih Waiya, and holds a tiebreaker over the latter two. St. Al hosts Pisgah in the season finale Nov. 3, and also has dates with region cellar dwellers Edinburg and Sebastopol the next two weeks.

&#8220We couldn’t be in any better position unless we whipped Lake,” said St. Al coach Jim Taylor, whose team lost to Lake 33-28 on Sept. 15. &#8220But the other teams that have an opportunity to beat us, if we don’t beat Edinburg and Sebastopol, we don’t deserve to be in the playoffs anyway.”

Winning close games and being in the thick of things is a nice change of pace for the Flashes, who lost three of four games decided by seven points or less.

&#8220Last year we were on the other side of this,” Taylor said. &#8220That was one of the things we felt was key going into the year, was to win the close ones and beat the teams we’re capable of beating, and split up the standings to where we would get into the playoffs.”

St. Al has manufactured its close calls in both good and bad ways.

Against Cathedral and South Leake, the Flashes allowed double-digit leads to dwindle before hanging on. But against Noxapater and Nanih Waiya, they rallied from double-digit deficits to win.

Taylor said a combination of things, from in-game adjustments by the coaching staff to improved play by the players, has contributed to the drama. He also added that he was having a blast working in these games.

&#8220Every now and then you like a blowout, but real coaching is about tight games and it’s real fun to win them,” he said. &#8220It’s real fun to see the kids be successful and the motivation they receive from it.”

If the Flashes can pull off an upset tonight, it would be a huge motivator.

Puckett has won 17 of its last 18 games, with the only blemish a 37-31 setback against St. John in last year’s Class 1A playoffs. The Wolves are ranked No. 3 in Class 1A this season and are headed toward a second straight region title. A win tonight would all but accomplish that goal. Puckett’s three remaining games, after St. Al, are against Sebastopol, Noxapater and South Leake.

While the Wolves are the favorite in tonight’s tilt, St. Al’s skill, trickery and even luck have coach Jaris Patrick wary.

&#8220It’s definitely a big ballgame for us,” he said. &#8220We have some concerns about some of the things they do. Coach Taylor is a good coach, and he has a bunch of tricks up his sleeve.”