Soon after the Steelers recovered a fourth-quarter fumble by Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer, a chant began in the second-floor mini-theater at Dave & Buster's:

"Here we go, Super Bowl, here we go!"

A gathering of about 150 diehard Pittsburgh Steelers fans, a bunch waving "Terrible Towels," were obviously elated by Pittsburgh's 34-17 win against Denver for the AFC championship yesterday that put their favorite team in Super Bowl XL. Most of those packed in the theater were members of Hawaii Steelheads, a 5-year-old Steelers fan club that has met at the Ward Center every week the team played this season.

"It's like home away from home," said Trent Williams, a Pittsburgh native, who just transferred here from San Diego as a U.S. Marine.

Although there is a Web site, www.hawaiisteelheads.com, word of mouth seemed to be the medium used for a number of club members. Williams, wearing a throw-back Jack Lambert jersey, said his mother in Pittsburgh told him about it, so he checked it out three weeks ago; he's been in Hawai'i only since September.

Fans came in all ages. Club president and founder Steve Burman said the club began with a modest 20 or so members when they gathered at smaller bars. But as the club grew — there are members on Neighbor Islands, as well — larger venues were needed. The club used the old All-Star Cafe in Waikiki before settling on Dave & Buster's. Burman said as the venue improved, so has the clientele. More females showed up. And while the members are enthusiastic, they keeps things pretty G-rated enough so that families bring their children along.

Mary Kukonu proudly held up her 4-month-old son Blaze Cuson when the Steelers did something good.

"We always bring him here," she said. "We brought him when he was one month (old)."

With all the loud cheering — there was a lot of it being that Pittsburgh dominated the game — 2 1/2-year-old Haydin Kaio managed to sleep through it all while cradled in her daddy Rick Kaio's arms.

"She's a heavy sleeper," Renee Kaio said of her daughter. "She usually doesn't wake up until 11 (a.m.)."

The Kaios heard of the club through Rick's friend. The whole family, including Haydin's brothers Hylan, 10, and Hyson, 9, were decked out in Steelers jerseys. Rick grew up in Nanakuli a Pittsburgh fan, but went to high school in Lancaster, Pa., which is closer to Philadelphia, but nonetheless remained a Steelers fan.

Sticking out like a suit in a steel mill was Christina Hoggatt, a Denver fan wearing a Terrell Davis Broncos jersey.

"Hey, Steve," yelled Williams to Burman, pointing at Hoggatt with a smile. "Get the Bronco fan outta here."

Hoggatt, a Hawai'i Pacific graduate student, came along with her friend Kelly Schade, a Pittsburgh native and Steelers fan who works in human resources for Checker Auto Parts. Hoggatt was away from the room when Radford graduate Ashley Lelie scored for Denver, but she came running back cheering after hearing about it. It was one of the few highlights of the game for her. She took a lot of good-nature jabs from the surrounding Steelers faithful.

"It's all good fun," said Hoggatt, who is from southwest Kansas.

Pittsburgh native Mike Dzadovsky has been enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Hawai'i since the fall, but did not know of the club until a couple weeks ago.

"I'm just kicking myself because I did not know about this earlier," he said.

Burman is from Houston, but disdained his then-hometown Oilers and the Dallas Cowboys. His club now boasts some 700 members. Those interested can reach Burman through the club's Web site.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.