The last two high school football teams remaining from the Butler County area saw their season come to an end last week in the District 9 semifinals.

On Friday, Union/A-C Valley fell to Redbank Valley, 32-6, in Class A and Karns City lost a 34-27 Class 2A thriller to Ridgway on Saturday.

Both squads had legitimate hopes of winning a district championship, but in the wake of disappointment, I hope the coaches, players and fans of both the Falcon Knights and Gremlins turn their focus to the success they met with this season.

November without its football team involved in the postseason must feel like a year without a summer at Karns City. The Gremlins in the playoffs is an annual event ... almost.

KC has failed to extend its season just two times this century. But one of those came last year when the team dropped to 4-6. A lack of offseason work was a big reason for the losing record.

This year's players re-dedicated themselves to the weight room and it was there that the seed was planted for a successful 2019. Prior to the Gremlins' first game, junior tight end/linebacker Nathan Waltman was quoted as saying, “I feel like we let a lot of people down,” referring to last year's team.

For some high school athletes, it may be easy to see the team's successes and failures as they pertain to themselves, teammates and coaches. But Waltman recognized that there are many more people that have a stake in the football team's fortunes.

The Gremlins (8-4) faced Ridgway twice this season, losing both games to the Elkers by a combined 13 points. Ridgway is a very strong program that will be playing for its fourth straight district crown this weekend.

Following Saturday's playoff game, Ridgway coach Mark Heindl commended KC's effort and said, “They made us a better team.”

He didn't have to say that, but he did because he believes it.

This was the fourth season for the football co-op between Union and A-C Valley. The Falcon Knights made the playoffs last year as a No. 8 seed. That was an important step, no doubt, but the team's seven wins this season opened eyes throughout the district.

I'm sure there were people, from parents to former players to school board members from both districts who had reservations about the two programs joining forces.

I can respect that. Many schools form their identity partially from their football program. It is the most popular sport in this region and it brings the community together.

The thought of combining with another school for football purposes brings a change to that identity.

But District 9 includes a lot of small schools, Union and A-C Valley included. A number of football programs in the district are taking advantage of a co-op agreement. Clarion, Ridgway, Brockway and Otto-Eldred are just a few.

For over 20 years, A-C Valley's football team included players from Cranberry High School, a span that lasted until earlier this decade.

The Falcon Knights had just 25 players on their roster this season. They dressed just 20 in Friday's playoff game. What would the numbers have been on each team had the districts remained separate in football?

It seems the small roster included the best players from both schools and the result was a No. 3 seed entering the playoffs.

Everything from the team name — the Union/A-C Valley Falcon Knights — to the colors in the uniforms and the combined logo on the helmets reflects that both districts want recognition for competing in football and that's the way it should be.

Both Foxburg and Rimersburg host home games, including a Homecoming game at both sites.

Two districts combining to form one team — and a pretty good one at that.

Derek Pyda is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle