The Imagine College Prep football team figured its season was over.

Imagine was up 15-14 in the waning seconds of Saturday's Class 3, District 4 game with Miller Career Academy at Sumner, but in the complicated playoff system used by the Missouri State High School Activities Association, the Bears were all but eliminated.

"Once CA got the ball, my guys started to walk off the field,'' Imagine coach Ken Walker said. "We figured they'd take a knee and that'd be it. But, for some unknown reason, they were still trying to make plays. So I told my cornerbacks and safeties to play as tight as they could and to do whatever they could to get the ball.''

Senior corner Brandon McNeal took his coach's words to heart, coming up with a interception in front of the Imagine bench and returning it 35 yards for a touchdown as time expired. The Bears' Albano Dede booted the conversion for the 22-14 final as Imagine (5-5) earned its second playoff berth in as many varsity seasons.

The Bears, who beat Career Academy 26-20 in double overtime to reach the playoffs a year ago, went on to lose 47-7 to Priory in last year's regionals. Wednesday, Imagine travels to Herculaneum to take on the Black Cats (7-3).

"We know enough, enough to put together a game plan,'' Walker said when asked about Herculaneum. "They're a good team, very disciplined and big. But we feel like we can compete with anybody.''

Imagine has had its ups and downs this season, but the Bears certainly responded with a big effort when it was needed Saturday.

Imagine went up 8-0 late in the first quarter as Alexander Gregory threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Albano and followed up with a QB run for the two-point conversion. Miller Career Academy (6-4) got a 50-yard scoring pass from Demarco Billups to Devin Buford early in the second quarter and took a 14-8 lead with 8;26 to play on a 15-yard pass from Billups to Raheem Roberts and a two-point run from Lamore Wise.

Imagine regained the lead at 15-14 with 2:07 to play on a 7-yard pass from Allen Sales Jr. to McNeal and a kick from Dede.

"It was a crazy finish (Saturday), but our guys are thrilled to have the opportunity to play again,'' Walker said.