Picture courtesy of Tanner Colvin

This time there would be no postseason magic.

Salina South, after a breakout regular season, was unable to match last year’s carry the momentum to the playoffs Friday night, undone by costly turnovers in a 17-14 Class 5A loss to Maize South.

The Cougars, who were seeded fifth in the 5A West bracket and playing their first home playoff game in a dozen years, still finished with a 6-3 record. The six victories were the most since the 2014 team went 10-2.

No. 12 seed Maize South, which improved to 4-5, converted a pair of Salina South turnovers into touchdowns, breaking a 7-7 tie on Jackson Carpenters end zone fumble recovery 44 seconds into the fourth quarter and then got what proved to be the game winner on an Aldo Acosta’s 48-yard field goal with just 1:31 left.

Salina South answered with an eight-play, 78-yard scoring drive culminating in an Izrael Telles 6-yard touchdown pass to Kobie Henley with six seconds on the clock, but Maize South recovered the ensuing onside kick.

The Cougars turned in a solid defensive effort, holding Maize South to 151 yards total offense, but finished with just 230 of their own, and 78 of those yards came on the final possession.

Salina South scored first on the opening play of the second quarter when Armane Redmond burst 19 yards up the middle for a touchdown to cap a 43-yard drive set up by a Henley interception.

But an errant snap over the head of Telles on the Cougars’ next possession gave Maize South the ball at the Salina South 30-yard line. On the next play receiver Stratten Ebers threw to a wide-open Grayson Strelow for the tying score.

Salina South, which needed two playoff upsets last year to reach three victories, entered the playoffs this year with a 6-2 record in coach Christien Ozores’ third season, but could not get past a Maize South team it beat, 19-14, earlier in the year.

The Cougars finished with just 56 net rushing yards, though Redmond had 85 yards on 21 carries. Telles, who was under pressure the whole game, completed 18 of 33 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted twice.

For Maize South, which plays next week at Bishop Carroll, running back Landon Kargbo rushed for 82 yards on 20 carries. The Jaguars completed just six passes for 65 yards.