JACKSON TWP — Rob Lombardo readily admits that his Seneca Valley girls basketball team has a different skill set from last year’s squad.

But that has not tempered his enthusiasm for the upcoming season.

The Raiders graduated seven seniors from last year’s 16-7 team, including two starters and three players who stood at least 5-foot-10.

“We were long and athletic last year,” Lombardo said. “We played street ball, pressing teams all over the floor, forcing turnovers and turning defense into offense.

“We will not be as athletic this season, but we’ll have more basketball savvy and girls who just work really hard.”

The centerpiece of the current team is senior guard/forward Erin Danik, who averaged a double-double as a junior with 12 points and 10 rebounds per game.

“It’s her team,” Lombardo said. “Every once in a while, a high school program has a player like Erin come along — a four-year letter-winner who is the highest recruited player (Fairmont State) we’ve had in a long time. Her teammates and coaches will be looking to her to do a lot of things for us.”

Including playing a lot of positions.

“She will be on the floor for most of the game this season,” said Lombardo. “We will have her play all five positions. We just had her playing point guard the other day in practice.”

Danik joins sophomore point guard McKenna Gross and senior shooting guard Michaela Lamont as the Raiders’ returning starters.

Forwards Anna Sullivan and Gretchen Koken round out the team’s starting five entering the season.

But Lombardo was quick to point out that his lineup will be a fluid one.

“Kelsey Cruttenden and Julie Milton will both be in the mix to get starts this season, depending on matchups,” Lombardo said.

Koken has impressed, despite being only a sophomore.

“She’s old-school,” said Lombardo. “She’s the first one to get here and the last one to leave. She was on the junior varsity team last year and wants to prove she’s better than that.”

Seneca Valley’s Section 1-6A opponents include Butler, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland and Shaler. The top four teams will qualify for the district playoffs.

The Raiders have earned a berth into the WPIAL playoffs the last three years. Though they have failed to win a postseason game in that span, their three defeats have come by a combined 11 points.

“We need to get more section wins in the regular season,” said Lombardo. “That would give us a better seed.”

SV will play host to a tip-off tournament Dec. 9-10. The field will include Burrell, Fox Chapel and Hampton.