Friday's video of Logan County's thrilling playoff win at Hopkins County Central could be submitted to a movie studio as a possible remake of  The Gambler.
Coach Lee Proctor took chance after chance in the game. Some rolls of the dice didn't pan out, but enough did to give the Cougars a 24-21 win over The Storm in the first round of Class 4A postseason action.
As a result LCHS moves to the regional semifinals for the first time since Coach Les May's 1998 team won at Union County.
The reward for Logan is a return matchup with undefeated Allen County-Scottsville this Friday at the Patriots' home field. 
Proctor, who has coached his alma mater 10 seasons, made it clear he was willing to try anything against The Storm to set up this rematch at Scottsville. Six times the Cougars "went for it" on fourth down, resulting in two touchdowns and two first downs. But an ill-advised pass from the end zone almost cost the Cougars this long-anticipated win.
When senior Phillip Stratton intercepted Storm quarterback Jesse Almon for the third time in the game and took the pick back for a touchdown, Logan led 24-11 with less than five minutes remaining in the game. Then two plays later, Almon threw his fourth interception, this one pulled down by Cougar Cameron Collier. All the Cougars had to do was grind out the clock to seal the win.
Instead Logan gambled. Quarterback John Logan Dockins tried a pass from the end zone on first down. It was intercepted and the Storm defender walked into the end zone to cut the lead to 24-19.
Logan's Jonathan Barbee, who gutted it out bravely throughout the game after being injured on the first play, knocked down the Hopkins conversion pass to keep the margin at five with 4:03 remaining.
From then on, it was hold-on-for-dear-life for LCHS.
The Cougars took over on their own 18 after the ensuing kick. When Dockins was sacked for an 11-yard loss to his four on third down, Proctor faced a difficult decision. Earlier in the half, Collier's punt snap had sailed over Thomas Washington's head. HCC took over on the Cougar one and scored easily. A punt Washington got off later only went 27 yards. Hopkins Central was in position to take the lead.
Proctor took the prudent route this time and had Collier snap the ball out of the end zone, resulting in a Storm safety. The margin was now three with slightly over two minutes remaining, and the home team kept possession because of the safety.
HCC took over at its 35, but Almon's three successful passes moved the ball to the Logan 21 with 1:30 remaining.
From there, Almon took four shots at the end zone, any one of which would have meant a Storm victory. On the first two, Cougar defensive back Cody Thurston knocked the pass away. Barbee knocked down the third aerial. One play stood between each team and advancing. Almon's pass was on target, but Washington jarred it loose to seal the win with 56 secoonds left in the game.
Dockins took a knee three times, and the Cougars and their fans celebrated the joy of postseason victory.
In contrast, the first quarter had moved quickly. In fact, the Cougars only had possession once during those 12 minutes. Washington intercepted Almon on the game's first play at the HCC 45. Washington ran for 14 on first down, Dockins hit Reuben Rawlings-Watson for 8, and Dockins ran 17 yards to the Storm 16. On second down, Dockins passed to Rawlings-Watson for a 16-yard touchdown. Diego Garcia's conversion kick missed, but Logan led 6-0 with slightly over two and a half minutes gone in the game.
HCC then went into ball-control mode and maintained possession for over nine minutes with Almon taking the ball in from the one with 3.9 seconds left in the quarter. The Storm kick was good, and the Cougars trailed 7-6 after a quarter.
To start the second quarter, the Cougars faked a punt on fourth and 10 from their 43, and Dockins' pass toward Nathan Oberhausen was incomplete. The Storm took over there and marched toward the end zone. But Washington got his second interception of the half, this one coming in the end zone.
The Cougars took over at the 26 and lost yardage, but a defensive holding call gave them new life. Dockins hit Washington for 21 yards. On fourth and 15 at the Storm 26, Dockins connected with Barbee for the touchdown. Oberhawen's conversion run failed, but Logan took a 12-7 lead that it held into the intermission.
After the Storm had taken the lead on that botched punt snap, the Cougars mounted a drive with a little help. Washington ran for 10 yards, but Dockins was sacked three straight times for 27 yards in losses. Washington punted from his 37 on a fourth and 37. The punt only went 27 yards, but Washington was roughed on the play, giving Logan new life.
Again the Cougars faced a fourth down at their 47, but Dockins hit Rawlings-Watson for 15 yards and a first down. Then came the third fourth down of the drive. Needing 12 yards for the first down, Dockins hit Washington for 37 yards and six points. Logan went up 18-13 with 1:43 in the third. Again the conversion failed.
On its next possesiion, Logan faced-- you guessed it-- not one but two fiurth downs. Rawlings-Watson caught Dockins' six-yard pass on the first try. The significant number was 29. Proctor had gone for it from his 29, even though his Cougars were ahead. The next one was a fourth and 13 from the 32, and this time the Cougars punted.
Collier got a 12-yard sack on Almon on first down, setting up the pass Stratton turned into a Pick Six.
The dramatics followed.
In addition to those already named, Todd Haley was a leader of the Cougar defense.
AC-S enjoyed a bye last week because Hopkins Central is in a three-team district, so Patriot Coach Brad Hood got to scout the Cougars in person. He had to be impressed with the nerve and determination of this much improved LCHS team.
Allen County beat the visiting Cougars 40-20 four weeks ago. On average, however, teams have had the score tripled on them by the Patriots, not doubled.
The Hopkins County Central field was in poor condition because of the heavy rains of October, resulting in several injuries. Hood warned Proctor that the AC-S field will also be sloppy, especially with rains in this week's forecast.
The last time Logan played in a regional semifinals was in 1998 at Bowling Green. John Logan Dockins was in kindergarten then. This game has been a long time coming.