And then there were four.

The Butler County area high school football season has been whittled down to a quartet of surviving teams: Knoch, Grove City, Karns City and Moniteau.

These squads have one big thing in common: dominant running games.

Each has a 1,000-yard rusher and each is averaging better than 250 yards per game on the ground.

All will face a test in one form or another as the playoffs get serious this week.

I have been serious all season. I went 6-0 last week to run my season record to 98-15.

On to the picks:

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Moniteau 27, Karns City 24 — Gotta love rivalries.These two teams are very familiar with each other.This is the third in time five years that the Warriors and the Gremlins will face each other in the District 9 Class AA title game.Karns City won the first two meetings in 2007 and 2008.But this is arguably the best team Moniteau has ever put on the field. It is the first 10-0 team the Warriors have ever had and you know they don’t want this magical season to end in the district final ... to Karns City of all teams.This will be a tight, competitive game — one of the best of the season.I think the third time will be the charm for the Warriors.•

Knoch 27, Franklin Regional 21 — Another prime playoff matchup pits a pair of undefeated WPIAL Class AAA teams against each other with a trip to Heinz Field on the line.The Knights have a solid run defense, but Franklin Regional has Dane Brown in the backfield.All Brown has done this season is rush for 1,900 yards at a nearly 10-yards-per-carry clip and score 33 TDs.Franklin Regional also is good at taking the ball away with 15 picks and 15 fumble recoveries this season.This will be a battle of wills.Knoch will win.•

Grove City 47, East 6 — The Eagles haven’t played a game since Oct. 28.Meanwhile, East beat Corry last week for its first-ever playoff win and is heading into this District 10 Class AAA clash with little to lose.Grove City, though, used its time off wisely. Players healed up, the coaching staff went back to reinforcing the fundamentals and the Eagles are frothing at the mouth for some live action.All that doesn’t bode well for East.Grove City wins easily.Scoop completed more passes in his mascot flag football game this Sunday than Tim Tebow vs. the Chiefs.