JEFFERSON TWP — Knoch's six-game winning streak ended last week.

The Knights' conference title hopes did not.

Knoch (6-2, 4-1) host Highlands (7-1, 4-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday with the Greater Allegheny Conference title being only one of the things on the line.

"Winner of this game finishes first and opens the playoffs at home,"Knoch coach Mike King said. "Loser finishes third and goes on the road."

Knoch has not won a section championship since 1992.

"I won't have to say a thing to our kids in the locker room," King said. "They know what's at stake.'

Friday's loser will also take a hit in terms of playoff seeding in WPIALClass AAA, though Highlands coach Sam Albert doesn't believe it should.

"Our conference is unbelievable every year,"Albert said. "Just look at our league's play out of conference. Greensburg Salem hasn't won a conference game, yet they beat Mount Pleasant, which is unbeaten in its section.

"Knoch's only non-league loss is to Montour and they're undefeated. Franklin Regional barely lost to Plum and they're in Quad-A."

Highlands defeated Knoch 20-0 last season with a senior-laden team. The Rams lost tight games to the Knights in the three previous years, 13-12, 26-20 and 25-17.

Albert said his team graduated nine starters from both sides of the ball last season.

"I never guessed we'd be where we are, but that's a tribute to how hard our kids have worked," he said.

The only returning starters for Highlands from its 8-3 team of 2006 are running back-inside linebacker Bill Devlin, center-defensive tackle Rob Rutkowski and placekicker Nick Bouchat.

Bouchat has hit on a 48-yard field goal this year and is being looked at by Pitt, Rutgers, Temple and other Division I schools.

Six-foot-3 junior quarterback Jeff Sinclair has thrown for 950 yards on the campaign. Josh Susa is his top receiver and Devlin, Marty Karlo and Brendan Lucchino comprise the Rams' wish-bone backfield.

"All three of those guys have rushed for about the same amount of yardage," Albert said. "Jeff threw for 200 yards in a game as a sophomore last year, so we knew what he could do and he hasn't disappointed.

"Knoch is an excellent football team, thiough. Any time you can beat Pine-Richland and Franklin Regional in the same year, you have to be a pretty darn good team."

Highlands' lone loss this season is a 35-0 decision to Pine-Richland.

Indiana contained Knoch's running game last week, but quarterback Zach Gross threw for 172 yards and two touchdowns in the defeat.

"You have to be able to take what the defense gives you,"King said. "I was pleased with the way our passing game performed last week."

Gross did throw his first interception of the year, but his numbers continue to impress — completing 50 of 80 passes for 700 yards and eight touchdowns.

Tim McNerney has rushed for 1,244 yards and 16 TDs, though he was limited to 44 yards by Indiana.

Besides giving up the 35 points to Pine-Richland, Highlands has not allowed more than 18 points to any opponent. Knoch is averaging 30 points per game.

"Knoch still scored 27 points in that game,"Albert said of the Indiana contest. "It's not like they shut that offense down. I don't know if youcan shut that offense down.

"Maybe we have to score 30 points to beat them. We're not used to that, but maybe that's what it will take."