JEFFERSON TWP — Coach MikeKing was bathed in Gatorade and in adulation.

He knelt with his Knoch High football team and shed a few tears with them.

He raised his index finger to the crisp October sky and bellowed, "We are section champs!"

Unlike at the beginning of the season, there was no doubt about the outcome of this one. Knoch dominated Highlands on the ground, through the air and on defense in a 41-13 home rout Friday night.

The win gives Knoch a share of the Greater Allegheny Conference title — its first since 1992 — a home playoff game next week to open the WPIAL postseason and a ton of satisfaction.

"No one can take this away from you," King shouted to his team.

Highlands certainly couldn't.

After the Knights (7-2, 5-1) built a 27-7 lead at halftime, the Rams made a push in the second half, closing the gap to 27-13 in the third quarter, But Knoch got two touchdown runs by Tim McNerney in a span of two minutes to put the game well out of reach.

Even a drenching of cold Gatorade couldn't put a damper on King's mood.

"It feels great," King said. "These guys busted their tail all year long. I'm so proud of their effort. I'm so proud of this team."

When the season started, few believed Knoch would be in the position to win a section title.

There were even a few around Jefferson Township who wondered if King was the right guy to lead the Knights.

Now, King, a 1982 Knoch graduate, is, well, the king of the Greater Allegheny.

"These kids from day one believed," King said. "You are going to get the doubters and the naysayers no matter what job you have in life, no matter what you do.

"It's the epic of human endeavor. None of this night could have been possible without the kids here who believed."

Quarterback Zach Gross helped to dispel the doubters Friday. He threw two touchdown passes, the first one a 15-yard tight end screen to Rob Briggs that opened the scoring. The second TD pass came on an 8-yard slant that Michael Gallagher caught at the 3 before bulling his way into the end zone.

That score made it a 20-point lead at halftime.

Gross also scored on a 1-yard sneak in the first half.

"He comes out and delivers in critical times," King said. "I don't think anyone can look at us now and say, 'Look, here comes Knoch and McNerney, let's pack it in and take away their run game.'"

On the flip side, Highlands left Knoch with an overwhelming feeling of disappointment.

The Rams (7-2, 4-2) had given up just 100 points in eight games and had an offense that could hurt teams on the ground or through the air.

But the Knoch defense was able to neutralize Highlands no matter what radically different attack it had to offer from the wishbone or the spread formation.

Rams quarterback Jeff Sinclair was intercepted twice and completed only 11-of-26 passes.

Highlands' running game fared well in spurts. Marty Karlo gained 61 yards on three carries during the Rams' scoring drive in the first quarter that tied the game at 7-7, but had just four more carries the rest of the game.

He finished with 75 yards.

"They beat us in every aspect of the game," said Highlands coach Sam Albert. "They took it to us.

"They are a very good team. They have one of the best tailbacks I have seen in a while."

That would be McNerney, who rushed 29 times for 187 yards and three scores.

Now Knoch will prepare for a home playoff game. It's opponent will be determined Monday night.

While many never envisioned a playoff game at Knoch, Gross said the Knights players did, even in the dog days of August.

"To tell you the truth, we knew," Gross said, shaking his head confidently. "After all we've been through, we knew."