There are a lot of talented teams left in the WPIAL playoffs.

But a lot of talented teams have been left behind, too.

That's always the case this far into the WPIAL playoffs, with just 16 teams remaining. This past week was especially tough on teams from the south suburbs.

For a team that did not have a winning record last year, let alone make the playoffs, the Lions had an excellent year. They turned in an undefeated regular season and a Century Conference title.

The team sailed through the regular season with just two games decided by seven points or less. The rest were South Fayette blowouts.

The Lions won the Century Conference championship outright and earned the No. 1 seed in the WPIAL Class AA playoffs.

Junior quarterback Christian Brumbaugh developed into one of the best passers in the WPIAL, completing 153 of 240 passes (66.3 percent) for 2,184 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Four South Fayette players -- Tyler Challingsworth, Eric Myers, Ryan Ross and Jon Gardner -- had more than 300 yards receiving this season. All but one, Gardner, are juniors.

And if the stellar passing game was not enough, the Lions had a 1,000-yard rusher in Jeff Davis, also a junior, finished the year with more than 1,200 yards rushing.

The Lions outscored their opponents by an average of 19.5 points per game. That margin could be even larger next year with most of its offense returning.

The top-seeded Lions easily defeated Beaver, 35-15, in the first round of the playoffs.

But South Fayette could not handle perennial powerhouse Aliquippa in the quarterfinals. Up, 27-15, after three quarters, the Lions let the Quips score 32 fourth-quarter points to end a great season on a disappointing note.

South Fayette finished the season 10-1.

After they started the season with four consecutive losses, including two in the Eastern Conference, chances for a Spartans playoff berth seemed slim at best.

But Brentwood rattled off five consecutive victories to finish tied for second with Avonworth and Springdale in the Class A Eastern Conference.

As the No. 9 seed in the WPIAL playoffs, the Spartans upset eighth-seeded Fort Cherry, 22-0, at Fort Cherry in the first round.

But top-seeded Rochester was too much for the underdog Spartans, beating Brentwood, 35-12, last week.

Junior quarterback Cory Bauer finished the season with more than 1,200 yards passing -- more than 800 of which went to senior wide receiver Danny Lucas and junior wide receiver Braden Pavlik.

Senior running back Lamont Robinson led the team in scoring and edged close to the 1,000-yard mark on the season.

Brentwood finished with a 6-5 record.

Thomas Jefferson has won 48 consecutive WPIAL football games.

Who knows? That streak might continue for quite some time. Maybe even, say, another eight years.

A team of 10 year olds representing Thomas Jefferson won the South Suburban Youth Football League's Super Bowl on Sunday.

The team has lost just three games in the past three years and is coached by Thomas Jefferson High School defensive line coach Jim Nassida.

Through his involvement with youth football, Nassida is coaching the same kids at the high school level that he taught to strap on a helmet years ago.

"I can't even begin to describe it," Nassida said. "It's the most rewarding experience in the world."

Nassida's son, Jimbo, is the starting quarterback and threw 26 touchdown passes this season. Thomas Jefferson outscored its opponents, 356-14, this season and has allowed five regular-season touchdowns in three years.

That means that while Thomas Jefferson High School coach Bill Cherpak has enough talent to be an elite team today, he has enough talent in the area to win for years.

"That's the plan," Nassida said.

He said there are not many similarities between coaching high school and coaching youth football. But there are some similarities in the opponents.

The winner of tomorrow's WPIAL Class AAA semifinal game between No. 4 seed West Allegheny and No. 1 seed Thomas Jefferson will advance to the championship game Nov. 27 at Heinz Field.

Coincidentally, Thomas Jefferson's youngsters beat West Allegheny, 14-12, to win the SSYFL Super Bowl.

The teams have developed a rivalry over the past few years, Nassida said. West Allegheny beat Thomas Jefferson in last year's Super Bowl.

"It's pretty much come down to the two of us the past couple of years," Nassida said.

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.