CRANBERRY TWP — How low can they go?

Members of the Seneca Valley boys golf team have taken that question as a personal challenge this season, with striking results.

The Raiders (13-2 overall) have regularly turned in impressive scores throughout their top five.

“In almost every match this season, our fifth-best golfer has come in under 40,” said veteran SV coach Steve Mayes.

That consistency earned for the Raiders a section championship with a 9-1 record. The program's last section title was in 2009.

The Raiders did qualify for the WPIAL team playoffs by placing second in the section in both 2010 and 2014. It was the team's performance at a tournament early this season that gave Mayes confidence that this year could be different.

Scott Hangliter, SV's lone senior, fired an even-par 72 to lead SV to a second-place finish at Cedarbrook Golf Course Aug. 22.

“After that, I thought, 'Wow, we might have something special here,'” said Mayes.

The Raiders then opened Section 3 play with five straight victories, including wins over North Allegheny and Pine-Richland.

“That's when we started thinking about winning the section,” said junior Adam Bushee.

Mayes is used to getting sub-40 scores from his top two or three golfers, but this year's squad has been incredibly balanced.

“There's a lot of competition on this team,” Mayes said. “The lines were drawn early in the season. Scott Hangliter (37.1 average), Mark McNulty (37.8) and Adam Bushee (38) have been vying for the top spot all season. Scott has it, but Mark and Adam were right on his heels.

“Zach Brown is fourth (39.7) and Paul Lopiccolo, Zach Gehm, Eric Barbe and Jake Marquardt have been taking turns at the fifth spot.”

The play of the back end of SV's lineup has proved to be invaluable this year.

“Our returning kids all did what was expected of them,” said Mayes. “We knew what the younger kids were capable of, but they had never played at the varsity level and I wasn't sure what to expect. For them to step up and play the way they have, I'm impressed with them.”

“You can be really good with your top three,” said Hangliter, “but our success is due to what the other guys have done this season. They got a lot of good experience with the junior varsity team the last couple of years and it transferred to this year.”

The Raiders went a perfect 8-0 this fall at their home course, Cranberry Highlands. SV's golfers have done a good job of mastering the nuances of the course.

“You have to stay out of the sand traps,” said McNulty, a sophomore. “This course will eat you up if you're not hitting the ball well.”

SV's dominance hit its peak in a home section match against Shaler Sept. 14. The Raiders won by shooting a 181 and were led by McNulty's two-under-par 33.

Seneca Valley will enter the WPIAL Class AAA team semifinals Tuesday with the same confidence that got them there.

“We all know that we're capable of shooting good scores,” Hangliter said.