Beaver Falls coach Ryan Matsook obviously was upset at an 8-6 loss to Aliquippa in the WPIAL Class AA championship yesterday at Heinz Field. But he was more upset at what happened after the game than losing the title.

Jodie Thomas, mother of Beaver Falls star receiver Todd Thomas, got onto the field after the game, was yelling in Matsook's face and bumped him before being restrained. Other Beaver Falls fans were yelling at Matsook, whose team lost for the first time this season.

Matsook has been highly successful in his three seasons at Beaver Falls, compiling a 28-7 record. The Tigers were 3-6 the season before he took over, but he guided the Tigers to the WPIAL title game the past two seasons. Beaver Falls lost to Jeannette last year.

Matsook's wife was next to him on the field during the altercation with Thomas' mother. Thomas, a Pitt recruit, caught only one pass for 4 yards and rushed 12 times for only 31 yards.

"It's unfortunate, but it seems to be the norm here," Matsook said when asked about the fans' behavior. "Every time you lose a big game, you have to get your family out of the stands quickly.

"You know, I'm a professional person and not a full-time football coach. I have a job [as a teacher] and a master's degree. Many guys on my staff have professional jobs and you work for peanuts as a high school coach. People need to understand it's about the kids.

"I don't want to come across as being a baby. I just want to get my point across. We've won 28 of 35 games in three years and if that deserves getting jumped after a game, then I'd rather be wrong than right."

In a news conference after the game, Thomas was asked if Aliquippa's defense had him frustrated.

"No," he said. "I guarantee you -- and you all hear me say this -- in basketball we're going to win it all. Seriously. We're not going to lose a game."

At the start of the Class A final, the surface at Heinz Field was almost totally covered with snow. After the Steelers-Bengals game Thursday night, stadium workers didn't cover the field.

"From what I heard, they kept a tarp off the field so it would become hard," WPIAL executive director Tim O'Malley said. "There was some concern that if they covered it, the field might be soft and who knows what would happen then."

The snow eventually melted. The field seemed to hold up well and players from most of the teams said they had no problem with the field conditions because the cold weather turned the surface hard.

"I don't think anyone could be of the opinion that the field had any bearing on the outcome of any of the games," O'Malley said.

Not visible underneath their coats, Aliquippa's coaches wore sweatshirts that said "Heinz Field 2008. Aliquippa Football. 600 Varieties." But they were able to proudly show the sweatshirts after the game.

Aliquippa became only the sixth school in WPIAL history to win 600 games. The Quips, who have been playing football since 1910, have a 600-307-42 record. The other five schools in the WPIAL to win 600 games are New Castle, Greensburg Salem, Jeannette, Washington and Monessen.

The Aliquippa-Beaver Falls game was the lowest-scoring Class AA final since Steel Valley beat Center, 6-0, in 1988. ... Thomas Jefferson quarterback Tyler Wehner is closing in on 3,000 yards of offense. He has 2,158 passing and 575 rushing. ... Thomas Jefferson running back Brian Baldrige is only 41 yards short of 2,000 for the season.