PITTSBURGH — A legacy of love.

That is what Knoch coach Mike King said his 2011 football team will be remembered for.

“The love these guys have for each other and for the coaching staff is something I'll never forget,” King said. “This was a long, tough road to get here and they pulled the community in along the way.

“This was about more than football. This was about team spirit and working together when times get tough.”

Third-year starting quarterback Ky Kenyon concurred.

“This is about friendship for us,” he said.

Knoch's season ended with a 42-14 loss to Montour in the WPIAL Class AAA championship game Saturday at Heinz Field.

The Knights' camaraderie did not end as a team.

“The pain I feel from losing ... the ride I enjoyed with these guys and the friendships I made will easily help me overcome that and move on,” fullback-linebacker Andy Tuzikow said.

That especially holds true for senior running back Andrew Rumburg-Goodlin, a 1,300-yard running back limited to 25 yards on 10 carries Saturday.

Held without a touchdown in the postseason, Rumburg-Goodlin was given the ball twice inside the Montour 10-yard line in the closing seconds Saturday. The ball was faked to him on the next play and Kenyon rolled to his left for a touchdown.

Rumburg-Goodlin was the boyfriend of Alex Summers, the Knoch senior cheerleader killed in a car crash three days before the Knights' first playoff game.

“Yeah, I was trying to get him a touchdown,” King admitted. “I feel badly we didn't make him a bigger part of the game plan today.

“Everything Andrew went through, the way he handled it all. ... As a coach, you hope you can teach football and make a kid better, then a kid like this comes along, coaches me about life and makes me better.

“The toughness, strength and courage that kid showed ... Andrew Rumburg-Goodlin will be talked about at Knoch High School for years to come,” King added.

Rumburg-Goodlin plans to play football in college. He's been looked at by Duquesne and St. Francis, but is leaning toward Slippery Rock University.

His home base will always be Knoch.

“Football got me through this,” he said. “I looked forward to going to practice every day. It gave me a bit of happiness each day when I felt pain and sadness otherwise.

“The biggest thing I've learned from this is that I'm in God's hands. I'll go wherever He leads me.”

For now, that is to the support of his teammates.

“Our season's over, but we're still a team,” Rumburg-Goodlin said. “I'm still relying on those guys to lift me up and they'll be there. And I'm there for them.”

Tuzikow said most of Knoch's seniors have been playing football together since they were 8- and 9-year-olds playing for the Saxonburg Spartans.

“Nothing's going to break that bond,” he said.

As football players, the trail traveled together ended Saturday.

“While warming up, I looked around this place and said to myself, ‘Man, we got here.'”, Rumburg-Goodlin said. “I'll never forget this day. I'll never forget this family.”