PITTSBURGH — The Steel City could have another gridiron champion.

But this one won't be led by Bill Cowher. This one won't have Ben Roethlisberger under center or Jerome Bettis lugging the football.

This potential championship football team will be made up of teachers, medical assistants, secretaries and volleyball coaches.

And mothers.

The PittsburghPassion professional women's football team is one game away from a world title after a five-year journey few thought would get them this far.

Except, perhaps, for team owner and starting safety Teresa Conn.

"I knew," Conn said. "I could see this coming. It was just a matter of time."

The Passion (11-0) will play the Columbus (Ohio) Comets (9-2) in the National Women's Football Association World Championship Game July 21 in Nashville, Tenn.

Pittsburgh beatCleveland 49-15 in the conference title game at Cupples Stadiumlast Saturday to punch its ticket to the championship game.

Columbus, which has given up just 15 points in the playoffs, toppled Oklahoma City 9-7 to earn the right to face Pittsburgh.

It will be the last game for several key members of the Passion, which has given the team an added incentive this season.

"I think, across the board, we have all given the effort and hard work," said quarterback Lisa Horton. "We've been through the rough times and the good times these five years, and now we are embracing this success."

Horton, who passed for 1,008 yards in the regular season with 13 touchdowns and has added 584 yards and nine more scores in the three playoff games, is one of the charter members of the Passion.

She can remember the early days when playing for a world title was below learning the Xs and Os of the game on a list of things to do.

"Oh my gosh, it is so different now," Horton said. "Our knowledge of the game is so much better. I remember that first scrimmage — we had no idea what we were doing. But we learned, and studied it and now it has all clicked. Our offense is all very skilled."

It wasn't always that way for the Passion.

Pittsburgh has had five different head coaches in five seasons. This year, the team is led by former NFL player Ron Coder.

When the franchise started, it had no indoor practice facility. Training camp in the frigid winter air of Pittsburgh was brutal.

The team went 2-6 in its inaugural season. That was the only losing season for the Passion, but this year marked their first playoff appearance.

There are 19 five-year veterans on the roster and now there are 124 pages in the Passion playbook now.

Horton has run the offense to perfection, but it helps to have a couple of running backs to help carry the load.

Torina Henley gained 1,012 yards and 20 touchdowns in the regular season. She averaged better than 10 yards per carry.

Grove City High graduate and Slippery Rock University assistant volleyball coach Lyndsi Hughes rushed for 533 yards in the regular season. She recorded 238 yards and three scores on 28 carries in the playoffs.

Hughes moved from halfback to fullback to make room for Henley and has become a force at her new position.

She, too, is aware this is the last hurrah for many of her teammates.

There are 24 players on the Passion's 55-player roster who are over the age of 30.

"We've been pushing ourselves harder than ever this season," she said.

But it never gets old for Hughes.

"I don't know if I'll even stop thinking how cool it is," Hughes said. "There's nothing like coming out of the tunnel with a couple of hundred fans cheering for you. Alot of us have never played in front of a crowd like that in any sport."

The crowd will likely be large at White's Creek High School in Nashville when the game kicks off at 7 p.m.

No matter what happens, Conn will see this season as a success.

"I think I will always look at this season as real special," Conn said. "This is a real special team."

In their fifth season in the National Women's Football Association, the Pittsburgh Passion have advanced to the league's championship game. Following is the franchise's year-by-year record.<B>Year.........Reg. season.........Playoffs</B>2003.........2-6.........0-02004.........6-2.........0-02005.........5-3.........0-02006.........5-3.........0-02007.........8-0.........3-0Total.........26-14.........3-0