If Hartselle head football coach Bob Godsey to pick a player of the game for the Tigers’ 24-21 win at rival Athens, it would be nearly impossible.

The list of players might equal everyone on the roster who saw action against the Golden Eagles.

Sure, Jaylan Jackson had two interceptions and an electrifying 95-yard blocked field goal return. His twin brother, Jamal, had two interceptions, a sack, the block on the field goal attempt and a key first-down reception in the fourth quarter.

You could look at Jake Tiffin. The senior quarterback led an 80-yard touchdown drive, which included third-and-long scrambles of 22 and 13 yards, that proved to the be difference in the game.

Travis Crow also caught a key 25-yard pass that set up Hartselle at the Athens 2-yard line.

Freshman Taylor Easterling added a tough 87 yards on 24 carries, including the final touchdown. But his best play of the night may have been a 53-yard punt that forced Athens to drive 89 yards to win the game.

However, many others played key roles in the win, including Lane Anders, Holden Langston, Tobias Mitchell, Cody Salem and many more. Some of the heroes might show up in the box score – some won’t.

Hartselle’s win over Athens embodied what it means to be a team. They won all three phases of the game – offense, defense and special teams.

The Tigers offensive line, which was much smaller than Athens, still found ways to make running room while giving Tiffin enough time to make plays by throwing the football or scrambling for a first down.

The defense allowed one big play, but pretty much pitched a shutout the rest of the way. Other than one glitch in the special teams – when Easterling couldn’t punt on a fourth down because his helmet came off on the third down play – the Tigers were solid there as well.

Most highly ranked Class 6A teams have at least one or two players who are being recruited by colleges to play football. The No. 11 Tigers don’t necessarily have that.

Some of the players could play football at colleges on Saturdays, but many of them choose to focus on education in college.

Some might not think it will work, but we know it does. Why else would the Tigers have won the Class 5A state title in 2011?

The sum of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Hartselle “Leaders in Me” know that as synergy.

And that’s why Hartselle has been one highly effective football program.

Brent Maze is the managing editor of the Hartselle Enquirer.