JACKSON TWP — Winning has become commonplace with Seneca Valley boys volleyball.

So has moving players on to the next level.

The Raiders are coming off a 15-5 season — their third straight 15 or more win campaign — and graduated 11 seniors from a section runner-up squad. Four of those — Sean Cavanagh (Juniata), Jake Albert and Jake Gearhart (PSU Behrend), Mark Stephenson (Lawrence Tech) — are now playing in college.

“We’ve sent seven players to college volleyball over the last two years,” fifth-year coach Dan Follett said. “An eighth, Zach Snyder, is playing basketball at Duquesne.

“As a program, we involve a lot of players, get a lot of kids regular playing time. We’re never hurt that much by graduation because of that.”

Among SV’s returnees this year are senior outside hitter Matt Gagnon, the team leader in kills last year and a first team all-state performer, senior setter Will Hayes, senior outside hitter Marshall Price, senior right side hitter Evan Maurer and junior middle blocker Kyle Martini.

Other key players this spring will be junior outside hitter Daniel DeGraaf and senior Kyle Lindey. Gagnon, DeGraaf and Lindey are all 6-foot-5.

“We’re definitely big,” Follett said. Our starting eight are all 6-foot-0 or taller. That’s rare in high school.

“Our setter sets up and runs a fast-paced offense. Our No. 1 goal is to win the state title. We talk about it all the time. And this group is capable of doing something like that.”

The Raiders open the season Saturday at the North Allegheny tournament.

Follett pointed out that three different teams from his section — North Allegheny, Fox Chapel and SV — have reached the state finals within the past five years.

“It’s the toughest section in the state, no doubt,” he said.

Butler

Lew Liparulo enters his 24th year as Golden Tornado coach and agrees with Follett’s assessment of their section.

“The top four go to the (WPIAL) playoffs and we’ve somehow scratched and clawed our way in there 10 times in the past 12 years,” he said. “The bottom team in our section often beats the second or third-place team in the other (3A) section.”

Butler returns six starters from last year’s 11-8 team that lost to Peters Township in the first round of the playoffs.

Those six include senior middle-outside hitter Ben Fiorina amd juniors Nash Bryan (outside hitter), Andrew Chwalik (opposite hitter), Danny Kline (libero), Cody Schnur (middle hitter) and Nick Penrod (defensive specialist).

Others cracking the lineup for regular playing time are senior defensive specialist Matt Corlew, junior outside hitter Connor Chapka and junior setter Tyler Rankin.

“We’re optimistic this year,” Liparulo said. “We want to go deeper into the playoffs.”

Jim Aggas returns for his 15th year as Liparulo’s assistant coach.

“It’s rare for a coach to have the same assistant for that long. Jim’s been loyal to us and he’s a big part of this program,” Liparulo said.

The Tornado open the season Friday at Latrobe.

Joining Butler and Seneca Valley in their section are Fox Chapel, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, Shaler and North Hills. Former SV coach Jeff Beavers is now at North Hills.

“He will make them better,” Liparulo said. “You look at the state rankings and it’s not uncommon to see three of our teams among the top six or seven in the state.

“It’s unbelievable. But that’s what we’re up against every year.”

Mars

The Planets are debuting as a varsity program this year and will compete in a Class AA section with Obama Academy, Summit Academy, Derry Area and Deer Lakes.

Mike Nypaver, a teacher at Our Lady of Sacred Heart and an assistant boys volleyball coach there the past two years, is the Planets’ head coach.

“Adapting to this level of play, with top contenders Derry and Deer Lakes in our section, as a first-year varsity team will be a daunting task,” Nypaver admitted.

“But Mars’ athletes are competitive and very prideful. I see it in practice. They want to be able to compete and be a big part of this.”

Nypaver has 20 players on his roster and is still piecing his lineup together. Mars’ first game is Monday, at home against South Park.

Three seniors — outside hitter Caleb Hixon, setter Bret Jackson and right-side hitter Cole Greer — figure to be in the mix. So do junior libero-outside hitter J.P. Plesniak and sophomore outside hitter Kevin Ceh.

“Our goal is to compete for the playoffs,” Nypaver said. “Like I said, it’s a tough task, but we have athletic kids.”