After 6-0 regular season, Pittsburgh Passion enter playoffs with championship vibes

Seventeen years ago, the Pittsburgh Passion won their first national title in an undefeated season that offensive lineman Eden Pleva deemed “magical.”

Nearly two decades later, that feeling is coming back.

“When we won our first championship, there was something magical in the air, and you could tell that season was very special,” said Pleva, an offensive lineman from Lower Burrell. “I feel that now, and I’ve talked to a lot of the younger players about that and they feel it too and you can see it in their eyes.”

An undefeated regular season at 6-0 set up a first-round matchup with the Tampa Bay Inferno at 6 p.m. Saturday at Pine-Richland Stadium.

With the energy and excitement level high, the Passion are looking to add to Pittsburgh’s great sports tradition with another championship.

“Pittsburgh’s known as the City of Champions, and that’s our goal too,” Pleva said.

As the Passion look to add another trophy, the family of the late Franco Harris and owners of the team still inspire this group.

“Franco Harris was a wonderful guy and his wife, Dana, and his son, Dok, still come around and are on the sidelines,” Pleva said. “Whenever you hear them speak, you can feel that energy from the black and gold pouring through your body.”

Co-owner and co-head coach Teresa Conn has seen her team grow closer together, and it has only increased the desire to win a title for Franco.

“It is a very special chemistry that we have going,” she said. “We are playing for one another. We have our love for Franco Harris and want to have the league name the trophy after Franco, and we want to bring that trophy back to Pittsburgh.”

The Passion’s successful season and drive for a championship has been a led by a group of veterans, but in large part is thanks to an infusion of young talent.

“This has been a real special season. We have these women that have tremendous chemistry, tremendous work ethic and between the great rookie class and the strong veteran class, it’s been a beautiful mix,” Conn said.

One of those veterans who has helped mentor the younger players is Plum native Lauren Ferragonio, who won back-to-back titles with the Passion in 2014 and ’15.

“We do have a younger team than when I played in the championships the last time. Just trying to keep them calm and encourage them to keep pushing,” she said.

Ferragonio also has seen how quickly the team has developed after losing in the first round of the playoffs a season ago.

“This season’s been awesome because we have a very large number of young players,” she said. “It’s been really great to see since the ending of last season to how it’s grown. We have a really great group of people. We are all very close, and it’s a true sisterhood.”

Up front, Ferragonio has been a key part of a line that led the second-best rushing attack in the Women’s Football Alliance at 274.5 yards per game. Running back Devon Peace ranks third among rushers with 768 yards on the season, along with nine touchdowns.

“Devon’s a powerhouse. She’s so fast, and she’s patient. She knows how to read the holes and wait for things to develop,” Ferragonio said.

Another playmaker on the Passion who has stood out this season is rookie safety Danasha Harris from Uniontown, who leads the league with seven interceptions.

“She has come on and done an outstanding job. She’s one of the best in the league,” Conn said.

With an exciting roster that made its way through a flawless regular season, the Passion are heading into the postseason with the utmost confidence.

“It’s something you just feel,” Pleva said. “Whenever you are surrounded by people, you get a good vibe. You walk on that field, and you just have this feeling that we are going to win.”