BUTLER TWP — Forgive the Butler varsity football players if they are unfamiliar with the Eagle Traveling Trophy.

This year's seniors were in fifth grade the last time the trophy — presented annually to the winner of the Butler-Seneca Valley game — took up residence at their high school.

“They probably have that trophy entrenched in cement, it's been there so long,” Butler coach Clyde Conti said of Seneca Valley.

The Golden Tornado will try to end the Raiders' six-year hold on the Eagle Traveling Trophy when the two teams open the season at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Art Bernardi Stadium.

Seneca Valley defeated Butler, 24-9, last year at NexTier Stadium.

“We've stayed competitive with them the last two times we've played them,” Conti said. “But we know what we're up against.

“During those past two years, Seneca Valley has lost only to District 10 champion McDowell and state champion North Allegheny — the very elite competition.”

Butler will have plenty of new faces in its starting lineup come Friday, as will Seneca Valley. The Tornado scrimmaged usual foes Woodland Hills and Blackhawk during the preseason.

“I like the mind-set of our boys. That's the best positive I got out of those scrimmages,” Conti said. “This is a growth process and they know that. The boys' focus has been good all along.”

Tom Jendesky, a 6-foot-2 senior who started a few games as a sophomore and junior, is clearly Butler's starter behind center this year. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 65 yards in 2012 and is the Tornado's leading returning rusher with 39 carries for 168 yards.

“We're looking for Tommy to provide us leadership on that side of the ball,” Conti said.

Butler will employ plenty of running backs and receivers come Friday night.

“We're nicked up in the backfield and we're deep at receiver,” Conti said. “Bobby Burdine is our most experienced back — he started the playoff game against Mt. Lebanon because of injuries — but we've moved Chris Smith to the backfield. Lucas Dubyak, JJ Johnson, Jeremy Hanford ... We'll have plenty of guys back there.

“(Sophomore) Kelley Kuharic really stood out at receiver in the scrimmages. He's a slot-type guy, very hard-nosed. Jamison Smith, Josh Rader, and Ishemer Ramsey are doing well there, too.”

Of that group, Rader was the only one to catch a pass in a varsity game last year — and he caught one.

“We're gonna have a lot of inexperience out there,” Conti allowed.

The exception to that rule is at linebacker, where Dubyak and Hanford combined to make 90 tackles last year, 47 of them solo. Jake Hays had 28 tackles and will play on the defensive line.

“We're counting on our linebackers because we're thin everywhere else,” Conti said.

Conti said he and SV coach Don Holl “have similar hairstyles. He has us beat everywhere else.

“I dropped off (assistant coach) Floyd Taylor the other day and a black cat walked behind me in his driveway. That's all I need ... not that I'm superstitious or anything,” Conti added.

Among the Raiders' graduation losses are quarterback Jordan Brown, running back Forrest Barnes and receiver Jon Dorogy. All three were among the WPIAL's best at their respective positions.

Their departure means little to Conti in terms of the challenge his team will face Friday.

“They are going to reload. That's how they do it down there,” he said. “T.J. Holl is very athletic at quarterback and they run that dangerous spread offense.

“Everyone we play will be a challenge for us this year. That's how it's gonna be. But Friday night is coming, the game is for the kids and we're excited about it.”

The Butler-Seneca Valley football series began in 1977 and has been played every year since the Raiders moved up to Quad A in 1990. Butler leads the all-time series 15-13, but Seneca has won six straight.<B>Year Winner Score </B>1977 B 39-91978 B 27-61979 B 21-141980 B 20-61981 B 35-01990 B 30-61991 SV 14-91992 B 16-71993 B 21-81994 SV 48-121995 SV 34-211996 B 17-141997 SV 21-181998 B 17-71999 SV 15-62000 B 17-72001 SV 21-62002 SV 32-02003 B 29-72004 B 33-152005 B 47-292006 B 14-02007 SV 27-132008 SV 18-142009 SV 35-172010 SV 41-172011 SV 47-212012 SV 24-9