The Seneca Valley junior varsity softball team set several goals for itself before the 2005 season.

By reaching all of them, the team achieved something no other squad in the program's history had ever done before.

The Raiders finished the season with an overall record of 17-2 and won the program's first section title with a 9-1 mark in 3-AAAA.

"We told the girls that there are three things that they can control in a softball game and that's their effort, attitude and desire," said SV coach Dave Gerrich. "They wanted to win and they worked very hard for it."

The junior varsity team finished with a sub-.500 record in 2004, but Gerrich returned from a short stint with the junior high program and was able to simplify things for the team before this past season.

"We sat down with the girls and went over some team goals for the year," said Gerrich, who was assisted by Megan Meeder. "One was to average a run scored every inning. As it turned out, we scored 136 runs in 104 innings."

Another of the Raiders' goals was to hold their opponents under three runs per game.

"We gave up an average of 2.3 runs per game this season," added Gerrich.

Any team that accomplishes those first two goals has a good shot of reaching SV's third goal: winning 15 or more games.

The team's lone section loss was a 5-4 loss to North Allegheny. The Tigers also finished the season 9-1, but since the teams split their two meetings, both were recognized as section champions.

"In years past, we've had good (junior varsity) teams, but we'd always find ourselves in second place behind NA," said Gerrich. "Junior varsity teams never get much recognition, but it's important that this team does get recognized.

"It's sometimes difficult with junior varsity because you don't know what you have until the varsity team is set," said Gerrich.

"And a few of the girls were called up to the varsity team during the season," said Gerrich. "We didn't have a set lineup and we were always juggling the batting order around. Everybody had to step up and they did."

Two players who played under Gerrich on the 2004 junior high team and figured to be part of this season's junior varsity squad were freshmen Courtney Grootegoed and Jackie Mangola.

As it turned out, both players were kept on the varsity team after tryouts.

Still, this year's junior varsity team wasn't lacking stars.

Freshman catcher Megan McCormick led the team in batting (.569), runs scored (22) and RBI (19).

Shortstop Chelsea Leasure and second baseman Sarah Sharrar batted .533 and .444, respectively, while outfielder Ashley Watkins scored 12 runs and drove in 18.

The efforts helped SV record a team batting average of .398.

The Raiders didn't let up once they traded their bats for gloves, either.

Watkins sported a .989 fielding percentage and McCormick was right behind her at .978.

Junior pitcher Katie Page tallied 100 strikeouts in 100 innings pitched.

"Many of the ladies on my team have played in youth fast-pitch softball programs from either Cranberry, Zelienople/Harmony or Evans City," said Gerrich. "I am pleased that they all had outstanding youth coaches and I thank the coaches from those fine organizations."