PINE TWP — Experience counts.

Second-year Pine-Richland football coach Eric Kasperowicz discovered that quickly this season.

His Rams finished 5-5 last season — losing by three touchdowns to Woodland Hills in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs — as a young team learning a new system.

This year, Pine-Richland (6-0, 5-0) is the highest scoring team in WPIAL Class AAAA at 46.2 points per game as the Rams prepare to host Butler (2-4, 1-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

“We've got eight starters back defensively and nine back on offense,” Kasperowicz said. “We lost by one play to North Hills last year, by one point to North Allegheny, we had the lead in the fourth quarter against Seneca Valley.

“Our focus this year was on winning those games.”

They've been doing so with an exclamation point.

The Rams led Seneca Valley 57-7 at halftime last week and beat North Hills by 17 points the week before that.

“We played our JVs the entire second half and Seneca Valley scored four touchdowns on us,” Kasperiowicz said. “Our defense has been playing very well.”

Pine-Richland is allowing only 13.5 points per game. Outside linebacker Joe Lieberman leads the Rams with 31 tackles and defensive end Matt Hampson has five quarterback sacks.

“Lieberman is a three-year starter and the quarterback of our defense,” Kasperowicz said. “Hampson (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) is one of those kids with a high motor. He's just as good against the run as he is rushing the quarterback.”

When it comes to motors, Pine-Richland's offensive engine never stops.

Senior quarterback Ben DiNucci has completed 91 of 121 passes for 1,538 yards, 20 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Mike Merhaut is his top receiver with 31 catches for 521 yards and seven TDs.

Merhaut is certainly not alone. Anthony Battaglia has 19 catches for 261 yards and two scores, D'ondre Gastion 16 for 378 and eight TDs, Luke Everett 10 catches for 188 and a score.

Running back Connor Slomka has 74 carries for 536 yards and 12 touchdowns.

“Ben is a three-year starter who knows what we're trying to accomplish,” Kasperowicz said. “He plays within himself and lets the system work for him. He's a smart kid back there.

“Obviously, he throws the ball well, but he's an athletic kid who can run, too. Ben knows how to find the open man and we have a number of targets. A defense can't focus on just one guy.”

The Rams are a bit inexperienced up front, with three new starters this season. Senior 275-pound left guard John Kohley and 6-3 senior center Jacob Good have been anchors there.

“As often as we throw, Ben's only been sacked in single digits and Connor's having a great season,” Kasperowicz said. “Our line is doing the job.”

Kasperowicz referred to Butler as one of the most improved teams in the WPIAL.

“Start trying to figure out the two most improved WPIAL teams and they're in that conversation,” he said. “It will be a battle of wills Friday night. It's no secret they will play physical, try to grind it out on us and keep our offense on the sidelines.

“Physically, we have to be ready to match that.”