A teaching colleague of mine once told me something about football that really stuck with me.

It was simple, yet profound.

“Winning in the NFL is never easy,” he said. “When you think about it, winning in football on any level is never easy.”

At first, it didn’t really sink in. When you can actually relate to it, it does.

Northwestern had a 31-game winning streak snapped Saturday in a 31-7 loss to Avonworth in the PIAA Class 3A championship game. The Tigers last lost in the 2023 title game, a 38-7 defeat to Belle Vernon.

In today’s times — especially in sports circles — we tend to forget about the accomplishments of a team that falls short in a championship. Take the Super Bowl, for example. The Buffalo Bills never won one, but they reached four straight.

We can also quickly forget the trials and tribulations poured into an effort when the final step falls short.

Northwestern won 31 consecutive games, and its current senior class finished with a 57-5 record over four years.

Stop and think about that for a moment. That’s plenty of time, toil and sweat over roughly 24 months.

There’s plenty of room for error at the high school level. One or two missed assignments can cost a game. It’s precision in a sport built on potential mistakes.

Northwestern’s streak shouldn’t be brushed aside. The Tigers entered the season tied with Troy for the longest active streak in the state at 16 straight wins, and it was the 34th-longest in the country at the time.

Troy lost its second game this season, but rebounded to win 10 straight before falling 42-0 to eventual Class 2A champion Southern Columbia in the playoffs.

For context, Southern Columbia won 64 straight from 2017-21, and Clairton ran off 66 straight from 2009-13. Since 2021, no Pennsylvania team has matched Northwestern’s run.

During their streak, the Tigers found themselves among some impressive company — sharing national lists with programs from football power states such as Alabama, California, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.

Meanwhile, Long Island’s Garden City currently owns the nation’s longest winning streak at 66 games.

What Northwestern did will leave a lasting impact in New Tripoli, even if it is soon overshadowed by basketball and wrestling seasons throughout the Lehigh Valley.

Head coach Josh Snyder and his staff accomplished something that should be difficult to comprehend — winning 31 straight games and averaging 45 points per game this season.

But too often we judge the ending instead of appreciating the journey.

So instead, look at how the Tigers reached another championship game, and how they positioned themselves for a second straight state title. Isn’t that the essence of sports — the work required to chase a goal?

Capturing the flag is always the pinnacle. But climbing the mountain shouldn’t be overlooked.

And in Northwestern’s case, neither should winning 31 straight football games.