STATE COLLEGE — Just like that it was 2-0.

Seneca Valley boys lacrosse players huddled, hugged, patted each other on the helmets and grinned.

Less than two minutes into the Raiders' PIAA Division I semifinal game against defending champion LaSalle College High, they were up by two goals.

"If you told me before we would have had (a two-goal lead) like that, I would have taken it," said Seneca Valley coach Peter Hoffman.

But the euphoria generated by a goal from Sean O'Rourke 32 seconds into the game and another by Jake McAndrew a minute later quickly faded as LaSalle asserted itself on the way to a 15-3 win at State College High Tuesday.

"We knew coming in they were a perennial powerhouse," Hoffman said. "We knew they were strong and fast."

The Explorers (21-2) showed it after the stumbling start.

By no means, though, was there panic on the LaSalle bench.

"Settle down and go to work," said LaSalle coach Bill Leahy. "We've done that all year."

The Explorers reeled off 13 consecutive goals after Seneca Valley's hot start, and they came from many different sources.

Patrick Resch had a hat trick for the Explorers by midway through the second quarter, Jack Bogorski found the net for the fourth time by the end of the third quarter, and seven other LaSalle players scored at least one goal.

The only thing that kept the score from being even more lopsided was the play of Seneca Valley senior goalie Brian Bohn, who stopped nine shots in the first half and 12 in the game.

"He's been stellar for us all year," Hoffman said. "In big games all year, he's always been able to find big saves when we needed it. Today was a little different because we ran into a little bit of a juggernaut over there."

The onslaught was a complete one. Seneca Valley managed only three shots in the 39 minutes between its second and final goal of the game. McAndrew tallied the Raiders' final score with 9:43 remaining in the game.

The Raiders lost nearly every faceoff, couldn't set up an offensive attack and was beaten to virtually every ground ball.

"(LaSalle) did a great job winning the possession battle," Hoffman added. "After that great start they never really let us get into the game on the offensive end."

LaSalle will face Conestoga in the state championship game Saturday in Hershey. The Explorers beat Conestoga last year for the crown.

"It's been 365 days since we played them in Hershey last year," Leahy said. "They'll be raring to go."

Someday, Seneca Valley would like to insert itself into the statewide lacrosse conversation.

But the Raiders are trying to play catch-up against schools in the eastern side of the state, where lacrosse has had a rabid following for years.

Getting to the state semifinals is a good first step, Hoffman said.

"We really made a concerted effort at the end of the game to get some of the younger guys in so they get the experience and the see the speed of the game," said Hoffman, who will lose 14 seniors after the most successful season in school history.