In the WPIAL's Class AA Century Conference, there are no breaks ... literally.

There are no out-of-conference games, meaning each and every contest directly affects a team's playoff hopes.

Eight weeks ago, South Park and Steel Valley began the season in much the same way, both suffering lopsided losses.

Nearly two months later, those teams enter the final game of the regular season the same way, as well -- needing a victory to qualify for the postseason tournament.

The playoffs might be a week away, but tomorrow night's Century Conference duel between South Park and host Steel Valley is essentially a playoff game itself. The winner likely moves on. The loser goes home.

As of now, the Century Conference playoff picture looks like this: South Fayette (8-0) is first, Keystone Oaks (7-1) second and Sto-Rox (6-2) third. If Steel Valley (5-3) beats South Park (4-4), Steel Valley is in. If South Park wins, and South Fayette, the top-ranked team in Class AA, beats Bishop Canevin (4-4) as expected, then South Park is in.

South Park coach Tom Loughran likes his team's chances. Since beginning the season with back-to-back losses to conference heavyweights South Fayette and Keystone Oaks, the Eagles have won four of six, including a stellar, 15-0 shutout against Seton-LaSalle last week. It was the Rebels' first shutout loss since 1999.

"We think we've been playing pretty well the last couple of weeks," Loughran said. "When we lost our first two games, we reset our goals and how we wanted to get there. Since then, we've gotten a lot better."

So too has Steel Valley. After starting the season with a loss to Keystone Oaks, the Ironmen have won five of seven. The Ironmen were in the game last week against South Fayette, trailing just 7-0 at the half before eventually falling, 21-0.

Tomorrow's outcome will likely be determined by which team is more effective running the ball, a category in which each team has excelled and have the proper personnel to do so again.

The Eagles rushing attack is a one-man show headed by running back Shayne Dotson, a 5-foot-7, 185-pound senior and the leading rusher in Class AA and No. 3 overall in the WPIAL. He's run for 1,328 yards on 210 carries (6.3 yards per carry), gaining more than 100 yards in all but one game. Dotson rushed for 216 yards in a 21-14 win against Steel Valley last season, and his ability to put up similar numbers this time around could be essential for another South Park triumph.

"Shayne has been running the ball very well," Loughran said. "He's a good, hard-nosed runner, and he has the ability to show some flash sometimes. He has a real nice combination of qualities that make him a nice, quality running back."

Nick Yobbi will once again get the start at quarterback for South Park. A freshman, Yobbi will be making his fourth start. He threw and ran for touchdowns last week.

While the Eagles enter the game with an inexperienced player behind center, the Ironmen counter with senior Tony Johnson, a two-year starter and one of the stars of the team's three-pronged ground game. Johnson has run for eight touchdowns and passed for five others. Junior tailback Delrece Williams leads the backfield trio with 953 yards on 122 carries (7.8 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns, all team highs. Junior fullback James Caldwell has added eight touchdowns.

Said Loughran: "They have three kids back there who can carry the football, and all three have the capability to run inside and also make plays on the outside. If you try to take one away, it opens things up for the other two. We have to be able to control those three kids."

And tomorrow night, in the case of both teams, the successful team will take control of its own destiny.

n What: South Park at Steel Valley.

n When: 7 p.m. tomorrow.

n Where: Campbell Field, Munhall.

n The skinny: In all likelihood, the winner of this game will earn the Class AA Century Conference's fourth and final spot in the WPIAL playoffs.

Mike White's "High School Sports Edition" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.