The 2009 high school football regular season is over. As always, it came and went with the blink of an eye.

Here is a little bit of what we witnessed while we were blinking:

•

Never say die. Butler finished 0-9 for the second time in three years, but the Golden Tornado went down swinging in the season finale against Seneca Valley.Jordan Lumley threw for 119 yards at quarterback after playing receiver most of the year. Three-year starter Cole Harvey moved to other positions during the final two games to help fill some holes created by injuries.His record and statistics might not show it, but Harvey was a selfless warrior on the field for three years. I'll miss watching that.•

Newcomers of the Year: Seneca Valley coach Don Holl and quarterback Donny Holl. The coach got the Raiders to the playoffs. His son threw for 1,123 yards.•

Kicker of the Year: Seneca Valley's Will Hugo. Need to make 50- and 51-yard field goals with the game on the line? He's the guy to see.•

Game of the Year: With all due respect to the Moniteau-Karns City tussle, Mars' 7-3 triumph over Knoch in a showdown for the section title was gut-wrenching. From the Planets' top running back going down to a fourth-quarter goal-line stand to loads of defense, this game was loaded with drama.•

Player of the Year: My choice is Moniteau running back James Shope, who becomes the first Warrior to win the Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy as the county's leading scorer. He will graduate from Moniteau with the trophy, three 1,000-yard seasons and his school's career rushing and touchdown records in his pocket.•

Who needs statistics? Freeport's quarterback didn't throw for 500 yards and no running back rushed for 500 yards. Knoch's quarterbacks didn't throw a touchdown pass and no running back rushed for 500 yards.Both teams reached the WPIAL playoffs.•

Must be the uniform. Karns City had 10 players rush for touchdowns, four players catch touchdown passes and two others throw TD passes. Didn't that whole team graduate last year?•

Appreciating the privilege. Following Summit Academy's season-ending loss to Freeport, the Knights gathered around their coaches, hugged them and thanked them for the opportunity play football.I'm so happy I saw that.•

40 and counting. A-C Valley will carry a 40-game losing streak into next season. Because of the dedication of a few caring seniors, the program has a next season.•

Versatility counts. Union's Zach Traister can run the football, catch the football, and return punts and kickoffs for touchdowns. The Golden Knights didn't win much, but some believe he was the best player in the conference.•

Moment of the Year: Meadville's players consoling Slippery Rock's team after the Rockets lost a Thursday night game less than 24 hours after an auto accident killed one of their players and seriously injured another.Football might be king, but life is the most painful thing to lose.John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.