INDIANA, Pa. — Indiana was running strong in Friday's Greater Allegheny Conference game with Knoch.

But it was one pass that saved the day.

On fourth and 9 at the Knoch 23, Indians quarterback Ben Fiscus completed a 19-yard strike to Tyler Rinehart.

Two plays later, Jason Snyder scored from 2 yards out with 4:59 remaining and Chris Simpson's extra point proved to be the difference in a 28-27 football victory over the Knights.

Despite the loss, the Knights (6-2, 4-1) still can claim at least a share of the conference title with a win over Highlands (7-1, 4-1) next Friday. Pine Richland (7-1, 4-1) will play Hampton.

Knoch had broken a 21-all tie earlier in the fourth quarter when Kyle Reiser caught a 7-yard pass from Zach Gross, but Kevin Wood's extra point was wide.

Fiscus ran for 82 yards and three touchdowns, but passed for only 53 yards on 5-of-11 aerials.

The Knights, however, saw their successful ground game hit a snag, totaling 91 yards on 31 carries. Tim McNerney, who entered the game with 1,200 yards, finished with 44.

"I've seen them take away a lot of people's running game," said Knoch coach Mike King. "That's the strength of that team: the way they attack you on the run and how they run."

Trailing by one point, the Knights started the ensuing drive at their own 10-yard line. Three plays later, they were forced to punt.

After Indiana (5-3, 3-3) went three-and-out, Knoch started at its own 35, but a pass by Gross was tipped by an outstretched Reiser and into the diving arms of Indiana's Leonard Robinson with 1:17 left.

On the Indians' first play from their own 42, Synder fumbled the ball and Knoch recovered at midfield with 1:11 left.

But two incomplete passes and a Gross 7-yard run gave the Knights a fourth and 3 at the Indiana 43. Gross' pass near the 25-yard line to a diving Brandon Wissinger was ruled incomplete, although it appeared Wissinger and an Indians' defender both had the ball wrapped up.

"They had a man under and two deep," said King on the Indians' defense in those final drives. "That's a tough defense to throw against."

"It was a team effort," said Indians coach Mark Zilinskas. "I told the kids in the pregame, 'I know in their hearts you'll find a way to win.' The guys showed great character."

The second half was a far cry from the first, when both teams scored three times. Both teams scored on their first possessions — Knoch on a 2-yarder by McNerney, the Indians on a 22-yarder by Fiscus.

Indiana took a 14-7 lead when Fiscus scored from two yards out with 9:37 left in the second quarter.

David Govan's 12-yard run tied the game on the Knights' next possession, but Indiana retook the lead when Fiscus scored on a 9-yard run.

The Knights, however, knotted the game at 21 when Rob Briggs caught a 16-yard pass from Gross just before halftime.

The Knights turn their attention to next Friday, when Highlands comes to visit. A win would also give the Knights the top seed out of the conference since they had defeated Pine-Richland. All three teams have clinched WPIAL playoff berths.

"Not a lot of teams go through the conference undefeated," said King. "We'll take the weekend to heal some emotional wounds and say, 'Look guys, what are you going to do?' I hope it doesn't shake their confidence. It shouldn't after what they've done already."

Notes: The Indians were 7-of-8 on third-down conversions in the first half, but 0-for-7 in the second half ... The Indians ran for 252 yards behind Fiscus, Jason Snyder (22-125, one touchdown) and Andy DeGory (11-45).