Jeannette football coach Ray Reitz was a little surprised by the WPIAL Class AA playoff bracket.

"We beat the defending WPIAL runner-up in our last regular-season game and the committee seeds them second and us ninth," said Reitz, referring to Jeanette's three-way tie with Yough and Greensburg C.C. for first place in the Interstate Conference, and the Jayhawks 7-2 win over the Centurions.

"It's not like we're a new team in the playoffs. We have the longest current streak with 13 consecutive playoff appearances. I don't understand that."

But finishing in a tie for first place didn't hurt Brentwood in the seedings. The Spartans tied with Seton-LaSalle for the Century Conference crown and were seeded fourth.

"It's hard to tell how strong each conference is when you don't have many cross-section games," said Brentwood coach Kevin Kissell. "And I'm sure the ties didn't make their job any easier."

The football steering committee actually had three conference ties to deal with, as Mars and Laurel tied for the Tri-County North title.

"You can't tell which conference is good until you get to the playoffs," said Reitz. "With that in mind, we must have the strongest conference this year since we have two teams in the semifinals."

Both Jeannette and Greensburg Central Catholic are in tomorrow's semifinals. The Jayhawks will face Brentwood at South Fayette High School at 7:30 p.m., while Greensburg C.C. faces Allegheny Conference champion Ford City. All four teams boast 10-1 records.

"We have four very talented teams remaining," said Kissell. "And all four have a legitimate shot of winning it all."

Jeannette opened the playoffs with a 22-14 win over Laurel, then earned its semifinals berth with a 19-14 win over top-seeded Aliquippa.

"It would be great to have a rematch with Greensburg Central, but we can't afford to overlook Brentwood," said Reitz. "They lost to the defending WPIAL and PIAA champions (South Park, 17-14) in Week 1 and haven't lost since. They are a solid, well-coached team that's on a high. And they beat a very good Seton-LaSalle team, twice. Brentwood has certainly earned its semifinal berth."

Brentwood opened the playoffs with an impressive 30-0 victory over Valley, then followed with a 12-7 win over Seton-LaSalle last week.

The Spartans are led by junior quarterback Eric Coxon and senior tailback Da'Von Moore, who placed second at the WPIAL Class AA 100-meter dash final last season. Coxon has completed 104 of 187 passes for 1,465 yards and 15 touchdowns. Moore has rushed for 900 yards and 13 touchdowns on 174 carries. He is also tied for the team lead in receptions with 29, which have resulted in 503 yards and seven touchdowns.

"Brentwood always has a talented running back and Moore is the latest to fill that role," said Reitz. "But he's not their only weapon. Coxon is a big kid who can spread the ball around."

Receivers Jesse Gonzalez (29 receptions, 503 yards, seven touchdowns) and Akeem Moore (22 catches, 332 yards, two touchdowns) are also favorite targets of Coxon.

"Eric is a unique individual," said Kissell of his 6-foot-2, 220-pound signal caller, who also plays defensive end. "Last year, he played only at quarterback. This year, he's playing both ways. He works very hard in the weight room."

The Spartans last reached the WPIAL title game in 1985, when they finished second.

Jeannette is led by junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who has completed 71 of 123 passes for 1,226 yards and 13 touchdowns. Pryor also leads the Jayhawks with 1,083 yards and 17 touchdowns on 118 rushing attempts.

"Terrelle reminds me of Vince Young," said Reitz, referring to the former University of Texas and current Tennessee Oilers quarterback. "He's only a junior, but has already received numerous collegiate offers. He's even going to the Ohio State-Michigan game, and both teams have offered a scholarship. Terrelle will be playing in the NFL someday."

Pryor's favorite target is senior wide receiver Davonte Shanon, who has caught 26 passes for 357 yards and seven touchdowns.

"We've been playing good defense the second half of the season," said Kissell, referring to the four shutouts the Spartans recorded in their final six games. "And we'll need another good defensive effort to beat Jeannette."