JACKSON TWP — A WPIAL playoff berth was already tucked away.

The Seneca Valley girls basketball team was looking for a quality performance and late-season momentum Friday night.

The Raiders found both.

Seneca Valley (15-6, 7-5) used a smothering defense and numerous points in transition to run away from Butler, 64-18, in the William Paul Gymnasium.

“It was important to come out tonight and play well,” SV coach Rob Lombardo said. “We had lost a couple in a row and we've got a big game Monday night (against Penn-Trafford) in terms of seeding for the playoffs.”

While Butler (3-17, 0-12) had twice as many turnovers (20) as field goal attempts (10) in the first half, the Raiders got off to a sluggish start offensively and led only 9-5 after the first eight minutes.

That quickly changed in the second period. SV went on a 13-0 run in the first four minutes of the frame and the Golden Tornado never challenged from there.

“We started our five seniors tonight. We want to do that in these last two regular season games,” Lombardo said. “They're not used to playing together, which may explain our sluggish start offensively.

“But, defensively, we were

Butler managed just four field goals all evening and had 28 turnovers. The Tornado sank just one field goal — a trey by Mia Rader with 2:45 left — in the second half.

“We knew our pressure would bother them and we wanted to dictate the pace early,”Lombardo said.

“We've gotten better handling pressure of late, but we couldn't handle theirs,” Butler coach Joe Lewandowski said. “Seneca Valley came out and executed erxtremely well.”

The Tornado cause wasn't helped any early as sophomore standout Jenna Kunst picked up three personal fouls before the game was two minutes old. Kunst led Butler with five rebounds, but did not register a field goal.

“We have to sit Jenna down and Kailey Olenick is out with a torn ACL,” Lewandowski said. “Alyssa Eyth's knee locked up in the second half tonight. I'm just hoping she's OK.”

Erin Danik had 11 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Raiders. Brooke Lyczek added 10 points, Paige Montrose nine points and three steals.

Seneca Valley enjoyed a 36-19 edge in rebounding as well.

Rader and Alyssa Eyth had five points each for Butler. The Tornado's 18 points were a season-low.

“This was a tough night, but who else would you rather ride home on the bus with than with your sisters?,” Lewandowski said. “The scoreboard doesn't define you as a person.

“These girls have one more game to play and they're enjoying that time together. That's what it's all about.”

BUTLER 18

Nicole Pepmeyer 0-0 0-0 0, Mia Rader 1-4 2-2 5, Liz Kuhn 0-2 1-1 1, Alyssa Eyth 2-3 0-1 5, Melea Barlow 0-1 0-0 0, Jenna Kunst 0-6 4-4 4, Allison Schubert 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Gage 0-0 0-0 0, Kelsee Callihan 0-2 0-0 0, Julia Gibson 1-2 0-2 2, Tiana Schaffner 0-2 0-0 0, Emily Altman 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 4-24 8-12 18.

SENECA VALLEY 64

Michaela Lamont 2-5 4-4 9, Julie Minton 1-1 2-2 4, Carolyn Palaski 1-3 0-0 2, Ayami Harada 0-0 0-0 0, Anna Sullivan 1-3 1-2 4, McKenna Gross 0-2 2-2 2, Jordan Jamieson 0-1 1-2 1, Karlie Martin 0-1 0-0 0, Paige Montrose 3-6 2-4 9, Lexus Lambert 3-6 0-3 6, Erin Danik 5-11 0-0 11, Toni Augustine 0-0 0-0 0, Christina Dunning 2-5 2-5 6, Brooke Lyczek 3-9 3-4 10. Totals: 21-53 17-28 64.

Butler 5 3 3 7 — 18

Seneca Valley9 22 17 16 — 64

3-point goals: Rader, Eyth; Lamont, Sullivan, Montrose, Danik, Lyczek

JV: Seneca Valley, 47-30 (B: Liz Kuhn 13, SV: Karlie Martin 11, McKenna Gross 10, Ayami Harada 10)

Saturday: Butler vs. Obama Academy at Shady Side Academy

Monday: Penn-Trafford at Seneca Valley