Seneca Valley's football team has already avenged one lopsided loss from the regular season.

Doing it for a second straight week would turn the Raiders into WPIAL champions.

SV (8-3) will face Northern Seven Conference foe and defending state champion Central Catholic (11-1) in the WPIAL Class 6A title game at 8 p.m. Friday at Heinz Field.

The Vikings overwhelmed the Raiders, 42-14, at NexTier Stadium Sept. 23. Then again, few believed that Seneca Valley would topple North Allegheny in the semifinals last week after losing to the Tigers 49-14 in October.

But in one of the most exciting games in school history, SV outlasted the Tigers, 28-27, to earn the program's first trip to the district final since 1989.

“Our team has a lot of confidence right now,” said Raider coach Dave Vestal. “We've had a sense of urgency the last two weeks and we need to carry that into this game.”

The Vikings also are not short on confidence. They have won 11 games in a row, a streak that includes playoff victories against Norwin (48-0) and Pine-Richland (63-34). Central's only loss this season came in a 35-14 setback to national power St. John's College, a prep team from Washington, D.C.

“You always strive for perfection and consistency,” said Central coach Terry Totten. “You look at our last few games and we are on an upswing, but that can change.”

The Raiders' defense must limit big plays in the rematch with Central Catholic. In the prior meeting, the first two touchdowns the Vikings scored came on an 87-yard run and a 69-yard reception by senior running back Justice Evans. Another senior back, J.J. Younger, gained 153 yards from scrimmage on just nine touches and David Green rushed for 70 yards on only three carries.

“They are the fastest team we've played all year,” said Vestal. “They have simple blocking schemes, but they run them so well.”

All five of Central's starting offensive linemen have made commitments to Division I colleges and have paved the way for a ground game averaging 262 yards per game. Younger leads the pack with 1,209 yards, a 9.3 yards-per-carry average and 20 touchdowns.

Younger did not see time on the varsity team last season until the playoffs.

“He has legitimate track speed and has added a new dimension to our offense,” said Totten. “He brings an element you have to be aware of.”

Junior quarterback Troy Fisher has attempted less than 10 passes per game, but Vestal knows not to ignore the Vikings through the air.

“They'll take a shot down field when you least expect it,” he said.

Seneca Valley brings its own offensive stars into the game — namely quarterback Jack Cook, halfback Hank Royal and receiver Payton Skalos.

Cook has rushed and passed for a combined 2,512 yards and has accounted for 30 touchdowns.

Royal has rushed for 1,227 yards, 15 touchdowns and has been a big threat in the passing game, especially of late. He caught touchdown passes of 43 and 22 yards last week.

Skalos has been Cook's most reliable target, hauling in 51 passes for 636 yards and eight scores.

In last week's win over NA, Skalos was held to a pair of receptions for 27 yards.

“He was part of the progressions, but Jack was reading the defense and taking what they gave him,” said Vestal. “That led to Jake (Holl, tight end) making a lot of big plays (four receptions for 74 yards).”

Skalos still figured into a pair of huge plays on offense. He recovered a Royal fumble near mid-field and later caught a tipped pass and gained 21 yards on a 3rd-and-10 play from SV's 26. The Raiders ended up scoring touchdowns on both drives.

Raiders' junior running back Noah Mancuso has been given an expanded role in the postseason. During the regular season, he was relegated to playing time late in games when the outcome had already been decided. But in two close playoff games, he has six touches for 56 yards.

“He's not the biggest kid (5-foot-7, 170 pounds), but he'll stick his nose in there and get after it,” said Vestal. “He's good at getting yards after contact.”

Defensively, SV will have starting sophomore linebacker Jake Stebbins available. He left last week's game with an injury in the second half.

Central Catholic will be playing in its fourth straight district title contest. The Vikings won the Quad-A championship in 2013 and last year and lost in 2014.

“Hopefully, the standard and expectations wear off on the younger players,” said Totten, who is well-aware that his team's previous defeat of the Raiders guarantees nothing.

“You look at what happened in college football last weekend,” he said, referencing the No. 2, 3 and 4 teams in the country all losing on the same day. “We are a good football team, but we need to be the best team Friday night.”

The Raiders have survived a rugged road to Heinz Field. Their three losses in the regular season (they also lost to Pine-Richland) came by a combined score of 142-48. Playing in such a tough conference, however, has paid off for them in a big way. They are battle-tested and are playing for each other — a quality that Vestal does not take lightly.

“That's what it is all about,” he said. “They understand that and it makes it special.”