Butler and Seneca Valley both reached the WPIAL boys volleyball playoffs last year.

Now they're looking for championships.

"We've got six lettermen back and 17 of our kids played club volleyball in addition to open gym," Butler coach Lew Liparulo said. "This year, we can contend for the section title."

The Golden Tornado finished 8-7 a year ago, losing to Plum in the first round of the playoffs.

Seneca Valley graduated 10 seniors from last year's 8-5 squad that lost to Penn Hills in the second round of the playoffs.

Five of those seniors started, including versatile athlete Conor Barrett, now at Penn State on a track and field scholarship, and back row specialist Dan Coyne, who is playing club volleyball at Indiana (Pa.) University.

"Originally, it looked like we had a lot of holes to fill,"Raiders coach Josh Springer said. "But our guys played club volleyball over the winter and they've gotten stronger.

"Now I feel like we can be even better than last year and challenge for the section title. It should be wide open."

Butler and Seneca Valley are in Section 2 with perennial power North Allegheny, Fox Chapel, North Hills, Pine-Richland and Shaler. The top four teams qualify for the WPIALplayoffs.

There are three sections and 22 Class AAAteams in the WPIAL.

"Boys volleyball has progressed to the point that every night is a battle,"Liparulo said. "Point by point, it's a grind."

Liparulo is in his 16th season at the helm. Butler's six returning lettermen are defensive specialists Josh Aggas, Dan Miller and Chris Geigle, setter Andrew Henry, and hitters Billy Roberts and Andrew Willison.

Sophomore Dustin DeFrancisis will join Henry as a setter this season.

"We're going to play a 6-2 and use two setters,"Liparulo said. "It's a bit of a different formation. Billy Roberts and Andrew Willison attack well and (senior)Cody Moffat can really pound the ball."

Other hitters in the Tornado lineup include Spencer Koehring, Andrew Soldner, Derrick Wilbert, Mike Dreher and Brennan Zanella.

Springer coached Seneca Valley last year when veteran coach Jeff Beavers' employment endeavors took him out of the area.

Beavers, who formed the program in 2002, is back, but he is on a medical leave of absence while he recovers from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

"Jeff should be back in a couple of weeks, but I'll also be on the bench this year calling plays,"Springer said. "Our transition has been good."

Five seniors spearhead the Raiders' attack:6-foot-9 middle hitter Paul Kurlak, setter Marc DeMarco, libero Steve Emling and defensive specialists Steve Pecora and Colin McGinis.

Another senior, Alex Muckle, will be the right-side hitter while juniors Nate Hayden (middle) and Nate Steele (left side) also will be hitters.

"I think we're more balanced than last year and I'm on the same page with these kids,"Springer said. "We've got good chemistry.

"Jeff's built this program to the point where we can lose 10 seniors and it's no big deal because we've got well-trained underclassmen ready to step up and step in."

Butler begins its season March 21 at the Norwin Tournament. Seneca Valley opens its season Friday, when it hosts Hempfield.