Opening things up
JACKSON TWP — If you want to know just how dominating the Seneca Valley football team was Friday night, look past the final score of 48-24.
Focus on 332-65. That was the Raiders' edge in offensive yards in a first half that saw them build a 42-7 lead against Peters Township at NexTier Stadium.
Senior quarterback Jack Cook, who lost his top four receivers from last season to graduation, had no problem finding targets against the Indians' defense.
Cook completed 11 passes to five different receivers for 244 yards and four touchdowns. He added two rushing scores.
“The stuff we ran in our two scrimmages was very vanilla,” admitted SV coach Dave Vestal, “but we opened things up tonight. Jack and the receivers continue to jell and Jack's freelancing can create plays, too.”
That was the case on the game's first score. Facing a 2nd-and-10 from his own 26, Cook dropped back and was flushed out of the pocket to his right. He unleashed a pass on the run that found a wide open Jake Bunofsky just beyond midfield. The closest Indian defender was 12 yards from the receiver and no player was behind him as Bunofsky turned and raced the rest of the way to complete the 74-yard scoring play.
“My protection broke down and I just started to scramble,” said Cook. “We actually had two guys wide open on that play.”
Three more touchdowns would follow in the first quarter alone — Hank Royal and Cook both scored on 7-yard runs and Payton Skalos pulled in a 34-yard strike from Cook.
Peters Township (1-1) had one chance to get back in the game. Quarterback Jake Cortes hooked up with Josh Casilli on a 79-yard touchdown play that cut SV's lead to 27-7. The Indian defense then forced a punt from the Raiders, but on the ensuing possession, Peters Township halfback T.J. Kpan was unable to secure a handoff and SV's Seth Markle recovered at the Indians 30-yard line.
Seneca Valley's defense swarmed Peters Township. Aside from the one long pass play they surrendered, the Raiders' held the Indians to minus-14 yards in the first half. They sacked Cortes seven times in that span. Jake Holl had three of them and Evan Schillero two.
“Our plan was to take their best receiver (Alan Snyder) out of the game,” said Vestal. “And we knew we were going to bring pressure.”
Snyder had three catches for 65 yards, but only two for 24 in the first two quarters.
“We could tell at the start of the game that they couldn't run the ball,” said Holl. “We believe going into every game that we can't be blocked and just got after it tonight.
“We're not the biggest guys, but we are a bunch of scrappers.”
As a tight end, Holl added three receptions covering 51 yards, including a 25-yard scoring grab early in the second period.
Cook's final touchdown pass of the night went for 32 yards to Luke Smith late in the third.
“It's all about getting as many reps as you can with the receivers between 7-on-7 (drills) and camp. You need to build confidence.”
The Raiders (1-0) open Northern Seven Conference play next Friday at Pine-Richland.
