Warren Central had a bunch of chances to beat Madison Central on Friday night and regain control of its fate in the Region 2-6A race.

As so often seems to happen when these two teams meet, fate was not on the Vikings’ side.

Jimmy Holiday threw a touchdown pass and ran for two more scores, including a game-winning 10-yarder, as Madison Central beat WC 31-27 in double overtime.

Madison Central (6-1, 3-0 Region 2-6A) beat Warren Central (4-3, 2-2) for the 11th time in 13 meetings since 2006. WC has lost all three of its road games this season by a total of 17 points, with the winning score in all three games coming in the last four minutes of regulation or overtime.

“I like our guys. I like our team. I think we’re getting better,” Warren Central coach Josh Morgan said. “But the reality is we can still be a good football team and not make the playoffs. We go to Murrah next week and if we don’t win that game the rest of it doesn’t mean anything.”

Warren Central’s defense forced four turnovers and made two goal line stands. One of the turnovers was a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Malik Sims in the second quarter.

Corey Wilson scored two touchdowns and Hank Holdiness kicked two field goals, but the Vikings still missed a couple of chances to win in regulation.

After Holiday scored with 2:56 to go in the fourth quarter to trim WC’s lead to 17-15, Madison went for a two-point conversion. Cam White appeared to be stopped short of the end zone, but it was ruled good to tie the game.

The Vikings had another chance to win on the final play of regulation, after Madison Central fumbled a punt at its own 25-yard line with less than a minute to go. Holdiness pushed a 39-yard field goal wide right as time expired.

The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime and then WC got the ball to start the second extra period. It had to settle for a field goal by Holdiness to go up 27-24.

On Madison Central’s first play, Holiday ran untouched to the end zone for the winning score. The Jaguars were required to kick the extra point for point differential tiebreakers down the road, accounting for the 31-27 final score.

“It was one we were in control of from the first quarter on,” Morgan said. “We definitely had chances to win. We had a couple of big plays we weren’t able to make in crucial situations. We left opportunities out there that came back to haunt us.”