For the past decade, one could pretty much pencil Rochester into the WPIAL Class A semifinals as soon as the brackets were released.

The Rams (11-0) are making their ninth trip to the final four in 10 years. Their opponent tomorrow night at Mars in a WPIAL Class A semifinal, North Catholic (9-2), has no players with WPIAL semifinal experience.

The last time North Catholic coach Bob Ravenstahl watched the Trojans play in a semifinal game, he was in the stands watching his son, Adam. That was back in 2001.

The North Catholic program has come a long way in four years under coach Ravenstahl. The Class A semifinal meeting against Rochester will be a true measuring stick to the progression of the program. In his first year at the school, during the freshman year of the current senior class, Rochester blew past North Catholic, 43-0.

The next season the Trojans kept it close before losing, 21-14.

"Yeah, we haven't been there for years," Bob Ravenstahl said.

"The one good thing we have going for us is that we played Rochester two years ago and it was pretty competitive."

Quarterback Martin Long was a starter as a freshman during that 7-point loss to Rochester in 2007. He helped guide North Catholic to a 7-0 conference record and the first outright conference title for the school since 1997 when coach Ravenstahl's son Luke, now the mayor of Pittsburgh, was a starting quarterback.

Both Adam and Luke Ravenstahl have been along for the Trojans' ride to the WPIAL semifinals.

"They don't miss a game," coach Ravenstahl said.

"I was there both times they were there [in the semifinals]. They talk to the kids here about how it is a great opportunity and to make the most of it."

Long and the North Catholic offense has continued to progress. He passed for 1,118 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. But on Friday night in the quarterfinals against Springdale it was senior Matt Fedzen taking to the air.

He threw touchdowns from the slotback position twice, once on a double pass and once on a double reverse. The trick plays were crucial in North Catholic's 24-13 win against Springdale, which was able to pile up 375 yards of total offense against the Trojans.

If the Trojans want to compete against undefeated Rochester, the Post-Gazette's top-ranked Class A team in the state and top seed in the WPIAL, they will have to shore up their defense. Rochester runs an offense that looks a whole lot like Springdale's.

"They play a similar brand of ball. We have to step up the intensity," Ravenstahl said.

"This Rochester team is the same as all Rochester teams. They are very tough physically and they have some great athletes."

Despite those nine trips to the semifinals in the past 10 years, this year's Rochester team has plenty to prove. It has not reached a WPIAL title game since 2006. It has not won a WPIAL title since 2004. That capped off a stretch of five WPIAL titles in seven years.

"Hopefully we can use [that postseason experience] to our advantage," Rochester coach Gene Matsook said.

"Our kids are hungry, too. Our seniors lost in the quarters and the other years the semis. They are very hungry."

Running back Trey Johnson rushed for 847 yards during the regular season and scored 22 touchdowns, fourth best in the WPIAL. In the 38-12 win against Brentwood last Friday, Johnson rushed for 185 yards and three scores. Quarterback Jasson Adamson has thrown for nearly 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns.

"We are going to do what we do," Matsook said. "We don't worry about what anyone else has done, we just work on what we do and what we do well."

Unbeaten Rochester carries with it an 11-game winning streak into the game including a 54-14 win at Riverview and the 38-12 victory against Brentwood in the quarterfinals. Both teams compete in the Eastern Conference with North Catholic.

The Trojans opened the season with a pair of losses, including a 28-7 defeat to Laurel, who competes in the Big Seven Conference with Rochester.

The Rams defeated Laurel, 14-7, earlier this season.

• What: North Catholic (9-2) vs. Rochester (11-0).

• When: 7:30 p.m. tomorrow.

• Where: Mars Area Athletic Complex Stadium.

• The skinny: Rochester is one of the premier Class A programs in the WPIAL. The winner advances to the title game next week against Clairton or Laurel at Heinz Field. Rochester hasn't played in the Class A final since losing to Clairton in the 2006 title game.

Mike White's "High School Sports Edition" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.