By JIM RUMBLE

Having to face the #4-ranked AA team proved to be too much to handle for the Northgate Flames when they traveled to South Fayette last Friday.

In a game that was decided before the first half ended, Lions quarterback Christian Brumbaugh threw for 209 yards, including five touchdowns, while leading his team in a rout over the Flames, 40-7.

"That's the best team we've played,” said head coach Mike Pipak. “That quarterback was unbelievable - he put the ball on the money. We had coverage at times and he stuck it in where we couldn't get to it."

So dominant were the Lions that they added 103 rushing yards for a total of 312 yards from scrimmage in the first half to 10 yards of offense by the Flames.

Northgate didn't help their cause any, as three of South Fayette's scores were preceded by Flames’ turnovers.

South Fayette took the game-opening possession down the field in six plays, culminating the drive with an 8-yard run by Brumbaugh.

The Flames were intercepted on the ensuing possession and the ball returned to the Northgate 12. Brumbaugh threw a pass in the right flat on first down that resulted in a 12-yard TD. The Lions led 14-0.

The teams exchanged possessions before Northgate had good field position on the Lion 49. That drive ended abruptly with a fumble that was recovered by South Fayette on their own 39.

The Lions mixed it up on offense, reaching the Flames’ 15 before Brumbaugh completed a first down throw for a score followed by the kick to give South Fayette a 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Northgate started the second quarter on offense. That possession ended with an interception that put the Lions back on offense on their own 43. South Fayette utilized a couple of runs, including a 28-yarder, before Brumbaugh ended the drive with a throw of 28 yards for the touchdown. The Lions missed on the kick but led 27-0.

While the Flames had trouble generating any offense on the next two possessions, the Lions continued to roll. They added a 10-yard TD pass to lead 33-0 before finishing their incursion with a 36-yard TD pass followed by the extra point kick to lead 40-0 at the half.

Northgate opened on offense in the third quarter and struck quickly for their only touchdown. Starting from their own 39, quarterback Jon Girvin completed a pass for 14 yards to Joe Ellis before throwing to a wide-open Josh Schultheis, who ran into the end zone to complete a 47-yard touchdown.

Pat Carr tacked on the extra point kick to put the final score at 40-7.