JACKSON TWP — Tyler Mesisca helped lead Seneca Valley to consecutive Penguins Cup finals as a player.

He's gone one step farther as a coach.

Mesisca, 28, is a 2010 Seneca Valley graduate. In his first year as a varsity assistant coach with the Raiders (2018), Seneca Valley won the program's first Penguins Cup.

“Winning is always the better way to end it,” Mesisca said. “That 2018 season was the best hockey year of my life.”

Mesisca's appearances in the finals as a player ended in heartbreak. Seneca Valley lost in double overtime to Shaler in 2009 and dropped an overtime decision to Canon-McMillan in the 2010 final.

“They scored the tying goal with like 18 seconds left, then scored on a fluky play in overtime,” Mesisca said of the Canon-McMillan game that ended his high school career. “That was hard to take.”

He's more than made up for it since.

Mesisca went on to play club hockey at Slippery Rock University. He was conference Rookie of the Year his freshman year, helping SRU win the league title and advance to nationals. He graduated as the program's third all-time leading scorer.

“I had the best of both worlds up there,” Mesisca said. “I knew I wanted to become a teacher and SRU has a great education program.

“It was close to home and I got to play hockey. I loved my time there.”

He got into coaching during his senior year at The Rock. Mesisca became a junior varsity assistant coach under varsity head coach Anthony Raco at Seneca Valley.

“Between going to my classes, playing (college) hockey and coaching at Seneca, that was a busy year,” Mesisca said. “But it was worth it.”

He became the junior varsity head coach his first year out of college and held that position for three years before joining the varsity staff. The Raiders won the PIHL's JV title with Mesisca coaching that unit.

“That was a talented group,” he recalled. “When I bumped up to varsity that first year (2018), a lot of those kids helped us win the Penguins Cup.

Mesisca is still helping the Raiders win on the ice — and build for the future at the same time.

He is a fifth and sixth-grade physical education teacher at Haine Elementary in the Seneca Valley district. He is in his fourth year as a varsity assistant hockey coach at SV as well.

“He's been a great fit here,” Raco said of Mesisca. “He played here. He teaches here. And his commitment level is there.

“Whatever I ask of him, he does it.”

Seneca Valley has started an elementary hockey program that Mesica plays a major role in.

“The fact he teaches (physical education) at that level, Tyler sees a lot of these kids and their athletic potential,” Raco said.

The elementary hockey program takes place two nights a week during the summer.

“It's a good age to get started in the game and the varsity guys come out to help, which forms relationships,” Mesisca said. “The kids enjoy it. It's an awesome experience for them.”

Raco already had two varsity assistants — Greg Hulbert and Erik Galis — when he bumped Mesisca up to the varsity staff.

“I normally don't like to have three varsity assistants, but Tyler has such a good hockey mind,” Raco said. “He's a good offensive coach and he's in charge of our penalty kill.

“Greg moved on the following year and Tyler's been here ever since.”

The Raiders are 2-1 so far this year in a season interrupted often by the COVID-19 pandemic. SV was supposed to have played seven games by now.

Its lone loss is an 8-2 decision to Peters Township.

“We had 24 hours notice we were making up that game and we hadn't even been on the ice for a number of days,” Raco said. “It's been a trying time. It's going to be like that.”

But Raco, Mesisca, the other coaches and players are up for it.

“We've had players in quarantine, a few injuries ... we just haven't had a full roster,” Mesisca said. “But once everything comes together, I think we can make a run at it.”

He's already making a run at a long coaching career.

“I love coaching at this level,” Mesisca said of high school. “If it ever worked out down the road, I'd love to run this (Seneca Valley) program one day.

“My wife and I just celebrated our twins' first birthday, so there is plenty on my plate right now. But I believe hockey will always be part of my life.”