Seneca Valley quarterback Gabe Lawson (11) looks to make a play during the Raiders' 10-7 loss to Central Catholic.

JACKSON TWP — Two yards kept Seneca Valley from pulling off a miracle finish.

Trailing Central Catholic, 10-7, with just four seconds left in Friday's Quad County Conference opener, quarterback Gabe Lawson took a shotgun snap from the Viking 47-yard line.

He launched a pass down the middle of the field that was tipped before being caught by Raiders' wide receiver James Sprentz at the 5-yard line, but he was tackled at the 2, preserving the slim triumph for the Vikings at NexTier Stadium.

were held to just 55 yards in the first half and were held scoreless on drives that began at their own 49 and 40-yard line.

SV defensive back Connor Lyczek set his team up at Central's 36 with a 37-yard punt return midway through the third quarter. But that drive ended with a turnover-on-downs at the Viking 29.

Lyczek came up big again, intercepting Pieto on the very next play. The Raiders took over at Central's 45 and Stanger scored six plays later.

“We talk to the kids about toughness and competitiveness and sometimes, you think it's just bouncing off them,” said Butschle. “But you see the way (Lyczek) played tonight and you realize it's starting to sink in.”

The only score in the first half was John Opalko's 42-yard field goal with 7:50 left in the first half.

Totten will take the win, but wants to see better play out of his team.

“I don't think we played especially well tonight,” he said. “There wasn't much emotion.”

Central Cath. 0 3 0 7 — 10

Seneca Valley 0 0 0 7 — 7

Second Quarter

CC — John Opalko 42 field goal, 7:50

Fourth Quarter

SV — Matt Stanger 12 run (Connor Dague kick), 11:53

CC — Dom Pieto 2 run (Opalko kick), :28

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Central Catholic, Dontre Jones 10-30, Eddy Tillman 8-25, JD Younger 7-19, Dom Pieto 5-13, Antonio Pitts 7-53, Anderson Cynkar 1-10, TEAM 2-(-16). Seneca Valley, Ethan West 6-33, Gabe Lawson 11-8, Matt Stanger 6-20, Caden Smithco 2-4.

Passing: Central Catholic, Dom Pieto 3-8-30-2. Seneca Valley, Gabe Lawson 11-18-135-1, Caden Smithco 1-1-2-0.

Receiving: Central Catholic, Eddy Tillman 1-21, Matt Schmitt 1-4, Anderson Cynkar 1-5. Seneca Valley, Ethan West 2-17, Matt Stanger 3-35, James Sprentz 4-64, Nic Cook 2-12, Mehki Gay 1-9.