JACKSON TWP — A rebuilding year for North Allegheny? Don’t bet on it.

Despite the fact that the Tigers brought back just three starters from last year’s WPIAL and PIAA championship team, NA seemingly hasn’t lost a step.

The Tigers (2-0, 1-0) shredded their first two opponents of 2013 — Mt. Lebanon and Fox Chapel — by a combined margin of 97-14. The victory over the Foxes last week came by a score of 42-7.

NA will travel to Seneca Valley’s NexTier Stadium Friday for a Northern Eight Conference clash between a pair of undefeated teams. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

NA has won three straight WPIAL titles and two of the last three state championships, compiling a record of 45-2 in that span. Since Art Walker Jr. took the reins of the program in 2005, the Tigers have not failed to make the playoffs.

“They have accomplished a lot,” SV coach Don Holl said of the Tigers, “but come Friday, it won’t matter. All we can do is focus on what we can control.”

Walker believes there are two sides to having such a successful program.

“Winning is expected here,” he said. “That helps because the players coming up know the standard, but it’s also a lot of pressure to put on young kids. We talk to our kids all the time about playing within their means.”

The team’s three returning starters are wide receiver/cornerback Elijah Zeise, linebacker Layne Skundrich and offensive tackle Nick James.

Zeise, a University of Pittsburgh recruit, caught six passes for 109 yards and a touchdown last week.

Despite being in his first year of starting, junior quarterback Jeff Clemens has played like a seasoned veteran through two games, throwing for 361 yards with three touchdowns and just one interception.

“He wasn’t named the starter until the Monday before our first game,” Walker said of Clemens. “He’s making good decisions and doing a good job of managing the game.”

Filling the void in the ground game are senior Sean Idowu and junior Josh Bergman, who have combined for 295 yards and six touchdowns.

Like the Tigers, Seneca Valley has had to count on new faces to provide a spark on offense and so far, the new starters have responded well.

Following last week’s 43-25 win at Pine-Richland, junior quarterback T.J. Holl has passed for 330 yards and two scores, while adding nearly 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground.

Receivers Max Cicero and Eric Mrkonja have combined for seven receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns while Mason Dehart has rushed for 105 yards and five touchdowns.

But it all starts with T.J. Holl, according to Walker.

“They have a number of guys who can touch the ball out of just one formation,” he said, “but most of all, we have to account for Holl.”

Seneca Valley’s left tackle, Tyler Hudanick, who was injured for much of the pre-season, has played the first two games without any setbacks.

The 6-foot-5, 285-pound junior is the anchor along SV’s front.

“Not only is he talented, but he also has football smarts,” said Coach Holl. “So much of what we do starts up front and having a kid who can do as much as Tyler does, it allows us to open up the playbook.”

The Tigers defeated SV twice last year, 45-3 in the regular season and 47-17 in the WPIAL semifinals.