And then there was one: The mighty Karns City Gremlins.

Why does it not surprise me that the Karns City team is the last Butler County football team alive in the playoffs?

It seems every year coachEd Conto and the Gremlins march through the District 9 playoffs and earn a spot in the PIAA postseason.

Maybe it is something in the water in locales like Karns City, Chicora, Petrolia and East Brady that makes these guys so darned good.

If it is, I wants some fine quality Chicora H2O. I need all the help I can get, although I nailed both playoff games last week.

Karns City dismantled District 5 champion NorthStar 32-14 last week to win a date withAliquippa at Pine-Richland Friday night.

The Gremlins always are a special team. They have like a billion dudes who can run the football, a defense as stingy as Ebenezer Scrooge, good special teams, excellent coaching and a tough-as-nails attitude that carries them a long way.

But this week, they will put all of that up against the Quips, the Class AA WPIAL champion.

Winning the WPIAL is a tough chore and Aliquippa did it by upsetting Beaver Falls 8-6 Saturday.

WPIALchampions usually have a tough time gearing up again for the first round of the state playoffs.

That could play to Karns City's benefit.

Then again, the Quips are potent on offense and defense.

The Gremlins have to worry about running backs Maurice Carter, Terry Patrick and Donte Williams, who have rushed for 2,600 yards between them.

Perhaps the best news for Karns City is Aliquippa doesn't have Terrelle Pryor.

Ohio State has him.

Last year, the Gremlins lost to the Pryor-led Jeannette in the PIAA playoffs.

Conto said that loss helped his team. A win over Wilmington earlier this season helped, too, as did the destruction on Moniteau in the D9 title game.

So, yeah, Karns City has a lot going for it.

But ...

Good thing eagles are endangered species and cannot be hunted because everyone in the Karns City School District is going to hate me.

I have to pick Aliquippa.

As much as I would love to pick Karns City, Aliquippa is on too much of a roll right now.

While Karns City is a worthy opponent, Aliquippa has too much firepower and is too battle tested for Karns City.

It will be a good game, but ... Aliquippa 35, Karns City 19 in a game that won't be decided until the fourth quarter.

No matter what happens, Karns City coaches, players and fans should be proud that, once again, the Gremlins are the last county team standing.

Scoop wishes everyone a happy Thanksgiving.