HARTSELLE –Athens High scored two touchdowns in the final minutes of Friday’s Class 5A quarterfinal to defeat Hartselle 23-13.

With the season on the line, Athens quarterback Rob Ezell threw the ball to Vincent Azzarello, but the pass went through his hands toward two waiting Hartselle defenders. The ball deflected off both their shoulder pads and toward the end zone. Dewon Tisdale, standing alone on the 15-yardline, hauled in the tipped pass and raced into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. Matt Jackson converted the extra point to give the Golden Eagles a 17-13 lead.

“I’d like to say we drew up the play like that,” Athens coach Allen Creasy said. “I hate to win it on a play like that, but it’s nice to win it.”

Creasy wasn’t the only Golden Eagle in awe. Tisdale was still shocked about the turn of events moments after time expired.

“It’s unbelievable,” Tisdale said. “Something told me to turn around after running my pattern and there was the ball.”

Tisdale is no stranger to making big plays for the Golden Eagles. He hauled in another huge touchdown in the ’04 quarterfinals against Fairfield – his first reception as a Golden Eagle. Tisdale finished the night with 4 catches for 114 yards.

Hartselle got on the scoreboard early when Marquez Jones ran 36 yards for a touchdown early in the first quarter. Ray Canafax added the extra point to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.

After a long drive, Hartselle scored again on a 34-yard field goal by Canafax midway through the second quarter.

Athens could not sustain its drives and was forced to punt four times in the first half. Facing a fourth and three, Ezell found Tisdale open in the flat on a fake punt. He raced 42 yards to the 8-yard line. The drive failed, but Matthew Jackson got Athens on the scoreboard with a 40-yard field goal

“We didn’t want to give them the ball and saw some things on film that would give us a chance for a fake,” Creasy said.

Canafax extended Hartselle’s lead to 10 in the third quarter when he kicked a 22-yard field goal.

“The defense made plays when they had to make them,” Creasy said.

The Golden Eagles went to the air to mount a comeback. Ezell connected on five consecutive passes – the last going to Jacquez Pride for a 13-yard touchdown with 2:57 remaining in the third quarter.

“I ran a flag rout on single coverage and got open,” Pride said. “The offensive line blocked well.”

“Sometimes it bounces your way and sometimes it doesn’t,” Hartselle Coach Godsey said. “These are two great schools, with two great football teams and two great traditions. This was a great football game.”

Athens recovered the kick-off and Hartselle used their time-outs setting up a fourth and three from the Athens 24-yard line. Ferrell Williams took the handoff all the way to the end zone to make it 23-13 with 1:15 to go.

Athens will host J.O. Johnson – who knocked off Russellville – next week in the Class 5A semifinals.