For the final time in the 2009 regular season...We allow you to listen to the top plays and provide many a reason...The start of the postseason is near, there are plenty of signs...As we salute the Plays of Week 9 before hopping on the Highway to Heinz.

Upper St. Clair Panthers 21 - Mount Lebanon Blue Devils 14
Sam Hall and Joe DeStio with the call on 1250 ESPN Radio

Both of these South Hills rivals had already clinched a playoff berth coming into Week 9, however second place in the Class AAAA Great Southern Conference and home field advantage in Round One were at stake. With the score deadlocked at 14 in the final quarter, Upper St. Clair quarterback Alex Park used his legs instead of his arm and scored on a two-yard jaunt to keep the Panthers home this week while sending the Mount Lebanon Blue Devils on the road.

Mars Planets 7 - Knoch Knights 3
Scott Briggs and Dave Bacon with the call on WISR-AM 680

Mars was expected to battle for the Class AAA Greater Allegheny Conference Crown, but after losing their first five games, few thought that Knoch would be in a position in the final week of the regular season to play for the conference championship. However with the Knights leading 3-0 with a share of the section title at stake, Mars' Seth Geyer scored the games only touchdown and game-winning score in a defensive battle between the Planets and Knights.

Kittanning Wildcats 23 - Ford City Sabers 22 in Overtime
Larry Porterfield and Bud Stanley with the call on the Kittanning Sports Network at msasports.net

After an overtime touchdown pass from Ross Harmon to Bo Bowser pulled Kittanning to within one point in a win and you’re in Class AA Allegheny Conference thriller, an incomplete pass appeared to propel Ford City back into the playoffs. However an interference penalty gave the host Wildcats one more shot and Harmon scored from a yard and a half out to give the 'Cats the thrilling victory as they eliminated the Sabers.

South Side Beaver Rams 16 - Western Beaver Golden Beavers 6
Tom Hays and Bruce Frey with the call on WBVP-AM 1230

In the annual Week Nine Saturday afternoon scrap between rival South Side Beaver and Western Beaver, a playoff berth up for grabs in the Class A Big 7 Conference added even more emotion to the contest. That emotion was iced in the final quarter when SSB quarterback Luke Shaffer scored on a 57-yard touchdown run to lead the Rams into the postseason on the heels on a 10-point victory over the Golden Beavers.