For the second year in a row, the difference between a very good and a historic football season for Warren Central came down to one play.

For the second year in a row, the Vikings wound up on the wrong side of that razor thin line.

Warren Central’s season ended Friday night when Madison Central quarterback Jimmy Holiday tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Luke Robertson with 17 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Madison Central won 28-26 to advance to the MHSAA Class 6A semifinals for the eighth time in 10 years.

Warren Central lost in the second round for the third year in a row, with the last two of those on its home field. WC lost 27-21 in overtime to eventual state champion Clinton in 2016.

Despite the disappointment and the program’s struggles to break through the second round barrier — Warren Central has not been past this round since 1994 — head coach Josh Morgan did not hesitate when asked if the season could still be considered a success.

“It’s a great season,” he said immediately. “To advance to the second round of the playoffs and win nine games with these boys and watch them grow over the year, it’s an absolutely great season and I’m extremely proud of them. And they should be proud of what they’ve done.”

Considering where the Vikings started, the gauntlet they ran through, and where they ended up, it was hard to argue.

Warren Central lost 18 of 22 starters from the veteran-laden team that lost to Clinton last season, but never seemed to flinch. It won five consecutive games down the stretch — including blowouts of top-five teams Starkville and Tupelo — and reached the second round of the playoffs for the third year in a row.

It’s the first time Warren Central has gotten to the second round three years in a row since a five-year stretch from 1991-95.

It’s also the first time the program has posted four consecutive nine-win seasons since 1992-95. The current four-year streak is the longest active streak in Class 6A.

Those numbers showed that Warren Central has re-established its program as a perennial contender in Class 6A, after nearly a decade of mediocrity. Morgan only won three games in his first two seasons in 2010 and 2011, but is 52-23 since then.

The Vikings also have a host of players coming back next year for another run, such as leading rusher Corey Wilson, Jr. (941 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2017), receiver Demond Patton (18 receptions for 428 yards and two touchdowns), and defensive standouts Lamar Gray, Keonte Lumpkin, Malik Sims and Tyrel Smith.

“It’s always optimistic with our program,” Morgan said after Friday’s loss, “But tonight, my heart is broken. It’s broken for my senior boys who had such a big part of our journey this year.”

One of those departing seniors is quarterback Fred Barnum, Jr. He threw for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, to go along with 620 rushing yards and three TDs.

Two of Barnum’s eight interceptions came in the first half of the playoff loss to Madison Central, including one that was returned for a touchdown. He bounced back, however, to lead the Vikings back from a 14-0 deficit and put them in a position to win.

Barnum finished 14-of-21 for 163 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 38 yards and a TD. He complete 8 of 9 passes in the second half and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Patton in the third quarter to give the Vikings a 26-21 lead.

Barnum took nearly every meaningful snap this season after replacing two-year starter Jesse Wilson as the team’s starting quarterback. Morgan said Barnum was one of the biggest reasons the team enjoyed the success it did, and will also be one of the tougher seniors to replace in 2018.

“If you had to point to one man for making us go this year, it’s been F.J.,” Morgan said. “He has been our constant. For him to be patient and wait for his turn, and when we gave him the keys he didn’t let anybody down. He did a phenomenal job being our leader, and I’m very, very proud of him.”