Friday night's 4A football play-in game between the Siuslaw Vikings and the Junction City Tigers was good to the last second.

It just didn't have a happy ending, as a Vikings pass into the end zone with no time on the clock failed to connect, and the hometown Tigers slipped away with a 24-21 victory.

The Vikings finish their season 6-3, while Junction City advances to next week's first round of playoff games with a 5-4 record.

It would have been Siuslaw moving on in the playoffs had senior quarterback Preston Mitchell's 33rd pass of the game found the welcoming hands of Trent Reavis, a 6-foot-6 sophomore wide receiver.

The 20-yard pass sailed high, and the relieved Tigers were left to celebrate.

"It wasn't a good route and it wasn't a good (thrown) ball when you needed one," Siuslaw coach Tim Dodson said.

The play capped a manic fourth quarter, one that saw each team score a touchdown, each fumble the ball away once and each turn the ball over on downs.

Trailing 24-21, the Vikings got the ball for the last time with 1:41 to play and 76 yards to go to reach the Junction City end zone.

Mitchell put the ball in the air 11 times in the series, the 10th pass 18 yards to senior tight end Marshall Teter for a Vikings first down on the Junction City 12 with 1 second to play.

In the scramble to get a play away, the game clock seemed to run out before Mitchell could spike the ball to stop it.

The officials huddled, called the Vikings for illegal procedure and gave them time to run off one last play.

"The clock stops as they set the chains (following the first down)," Dodson said of the play. "The clock starts on the ready-to-play whistle.

"We snapped the ball before the ready-to-play whistle, at least that's what the referee said."

The decision gave the Vikings one last shot at the end zone.

"We were able to get the play off, but unfortunately it didn't work out," Mitchell said. "That last play, it was pretty crazy when it happened."

The game had appeared to be all but over with 6:37 left in the game when the Vikings turned the ball over on downs, trailing 24-14.

But the Tigers fumbled the ball back at the 5:02 mark, and Siuslaw went 56 yards in eight plays to cut into the lead, Mitchell scoring from the 1 at 2:45 and Kenneth Thrall kicking the extra point.

The Vikings then failed to convert the onside kick. But the Tigers went three-and-out, including an incomplete pass to stop the clock, and punted the ball with back with 1:41 left.

Siuslaw then nearly went the distance to pull it out.

If a game were scored on time of possession and field position, the Tigers won going away. On average, Junction City started its drives near midfield, Siuslaw on its own 28.

Junction City had two long drives in taking a 10-7 lead at halftime, the Tigers controlling the ball more than 18 minutes of the first 24 played.

The Tigers opened the game with a 12-play, 57-yard drive that resulted in a 26-yard field goal by Gard Drag.

Siuslaw led briefly, 7-3, on a 35-yard pass from Mitchell to Reavis on the first play of the second quarter.

The Tigers then went on a 17-play, 65-yard drive that consumed 10 minutes and 17 seconds and ended with Zach Rogers' 2-yard TD run.

Junction City made it 17-7 on its first possession of the second half, going 50 yards in five plays, the last a 36-yard dash by Rogers to the end zone.

Siuslaw cut the lead to 17-14 on Mitchell's second TD strike to Reavis, this one going 11 yards to cap a 12-play, 80-yard drive at 2:51 of the third quarter.

Junction City again extended its lead to 10 points, 24-14, on Conner Ramseyer's 10-yard run at 11:08 of the fourth quarter.

For the game, the Vikings outgained the Tigers in total offense, 312 yards to 268, according to official statistics by Bob Hylton.

Siuslaw had 206 yards passing and 106 yards rushing, while Junction City had 215 yards rushing and 53 yards passing.

Mitchell completed 21 of 33 passes, with Reavis grabbing eight for 102 yards.

"Our guys fought all the way," Mitchell said. "Field position wasn't on our side, but there were things we could have done better to counter that.

"It is what it is, but it was fun. It was a lot of fun."

STATISTICS PROVIDED BY JO DE AND BOB HYLTON, OFFICIAL SCORERS

SCORING

At William F. "Bill" Peden Field, Junction City, Friday, Oct. 30

SIUSLAW                0       7       7       7       —       21
JUNCTION CITY    3       7       7       7       —       24

First Quarter
Junction City — FG Gard Drag 26 yards, 5:44

Second Quarter
Siuslaw — Trent Reavis 35-yard pass from Preston Mitchell (Kenneth Thrall kick), 11:57
Junction City — Zach Rogers 2-yard run (Gard Drag kick), 1:44

Third Quarter
Junction City — Zach Rogers 36-yard run (Gard Drag kick), 7:59
Siuslaw — Trent Reavis 23-yard pass from Preston Mitchell (Kenneth Thrall kick), 2:51

Fourth Quarter
Junction City — Conner Ramseyer 10-yard run (Gard Drag kick), 10:22
Siuslaw — Preston Mitchell 1-yard run (Kenneth Thrall kick), 2:45

TEAM STATISTICS
                                       Siuslaw  Junction City
First downs                         14          12
Yards gained                     112         231
Yards lost                            6          16
Plays-net yards            22-106          46-215
Passing yards                     206          53
Total yards                        312          268
Passing                      21-33-0          4-7-0
Punts-yards-ave.       2-46-23.0         1-32-32.0
Fumbles-lost                      1-1         5-2
Penalties-yards                4-20         5-51

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING
Siuslaw—Preston Mitchell 10-47, Kenneth Thrall 10-32, Nick Steinman 2-27.
Junction City—Zach Rogers 25-141, Conner Ramseyer 14-68, Jesse McClintock 2-9, Jacob Hardman 1-2, No. 45 1-(minus 2), Jake Rogers 1-(minus 3).

PASSING
Siuslaw—Preston Mitchell 21-33-0—206.
Junction City—Jesse McClintock 4-7-0—53.

RECEIVING
Siuslaw—Scott Gordon 10-78, Trent Reavis 8-111, Marshall Teter 1-18, Brogan Cornish 1-1, Kenneth Thrall 1-(minus 2).
Junction City—Angel Disla 3-37, Zach Rogers 1-16.