Like many of his teammates, Penn Hills quarterback Tom Fulton spent most of last week too deeply enthralled in preparation for facing the PIAA's No. 1-ranked Class AAAA team to have much time to consider the fact that a defeat against that Gateway squad would signify the end of his high school football career.

But as the time ticked off Friday at West Mifflin's Titan Stadium with the Gators about to emerge with a 38-23 victory, Fulton finally was able to grasp the reality of the situation.

"It didn't really hit me until the last second," Fulton said. "I was fine until the last second. I think every senior felt it then, felt the same way. When you play for Penn Hills, you play for your team and the program and the community and the school. Being part of that for four years really meant something and is going to for the rest of our lives."

The defeat to Gateway in the WPIAL semifinals capped an unconventional 8-4 season for the Indians, one that began with a new coach and high expectations but started out with three losses in four games before things turned.

Penn Hills won seven in a row after that, including sweeping all five Big East Conference games for the conference title and two dominating WPIAL playoff victories.

"Once that winning streak started, we had all the confidence we were missing," junior wide receiver/safety Brandon Ifill said. "Once we got all that momentum, we felt like we could beat anyone."

The peculiarity of the Indians' season began before the two distinctly different halves of the regular season. For the first time in 22 years, Neil Gordon was not on the Penn Hills sidelines.

It was announced in January that Gordon's contract would not be renewed by the school board. Ron Graham was announced as his replacement in March.

It was a situation that was highly publicized and somewhat divisive among the Penn Hills community.

"With the coaching change we had, the situation we found ourselves in, we found our way through it," Fulton said. "I think it brought us together as a team. We knew we had to come together.

"We knew we couldn't be driven apart with what happened. We had some who liked coach Gordon and others who were happy for coach Graham. But when it came down to it, we had what we had, and we had to deal with whatever it was, good or bad.

"We took what we got and ran with it, and look where we got. We got to the semifinals, one game away from Heinz Field. We had to come together and we did, and look how far it got us."

Ifill gives some of the credit for that coming together as a team to the senior class, a group that included Fulton (1,452 passing yards, 13 touchdowns), running backs Ted Blakeman (1,167 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns) and Chris Darby (832 yards, eight touchdowns) and receiver Dontae Brown (31 catches, 523 yards, four touchdowns).

"The seniors helped us stay together as a team," Ifill said. "This past year was very difficult for us with the new coach and all. They didn't take sides and they did the right things and set an example for the other guys. It will be tough to see them go.

"It's been great playing with them the past three years. I got to come up with them; they've kind of been my big brothers. They just set such a good example, it will be hard to see them go."

One of those seniors, Fulton, talked about the "family" aspect of playing for Penn Hills and that that family stuck together. He praised Graham for helping to that end.

"I think coach Graham did a great job bringing everyone together after that situation," Fulton said. "He had nothing to do with it. He came in and gathered us up and told us we had to stick together for the sake of Penn Hills, and we made it all the way to the semifinals. We're happy; all things considered, it couldn't have been better."

It's a good bet the next offseason will not be as chaotic as the last one. And although the Indians will lose their seniors, players such as Ifill and sophomore Darius Patton form a core that returns.

"They have a lot of talent and promising players, a solid receiving corps coming back," Fulton said. "Quarterback is up for grabs and there's a lot of open spots, but there's still enough talent around to bring one home."