JACKSON TWP — And so they meet again.

For the second straight year, the Seneca Valley football team will face rival North Allegheny in the WPIAL Quad A playoffs, this time with a trip to the district championship game at Heinz Field on the line.

In 2011, the Tigers ended SV’s season with a 35-10 decision in the quarterfinals.

Friday’s game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at North Hills’ Martorelli Stadium.

North Allegheny (11-0) defeated the Raiders 45-3 Sept. 14.

“Whether you lose a game by two points or 60 points, it’s a loss and you turn the page,” said SV coach Don Holl. “Did we learn from that first game? I hope so. Did NA learn from it? I’m sure they did.

“Right now, we’re in a good place from a health standpoint. We are going to do what we do the best we can do it.”

The Raiders (10-1) shut down a potent Mt. Lebanon offense in a 32-13 quarterfinal win last week, while the Tigers crushed Bethel Park 42-14.

NA jumped out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and received touchdowns from six different players in the victory.

Brendan Coniker and Gregg Garrity both caught a touchdown pass from senior quarterback Mack Leftwich, who also scored one of three rushing touchdowns for the Tigers.

NA coach Art Walker, Jr. is confident Leftwich will put his team in position to win Friday night.

“Mack needs to be smart and be a coach on the field like he’s been,” he said. “He has had a competitive edge to him all season and I don’t see that changing Friday.

“I like where we’re at on offense,” he added. “We’re mixing things up.”

SV last defeated the Tigers in 2002 and has dropped 11 straight to its conference foe.

Considering what is at stake and his team’s upcoming opponent, Holl likes the attitude the Raiders are carrying into the contest.

“If practice is any indication, we are loose,” he said. “The kids are so settled into the routine.”

In order to get a different result in this rematch, the Raiders need more production out of star halfback Forrest Barnes, who tallied just 15 yards from scrimmage — 11 rushing, 4 receiving — in the first meeting.

The Raiders’ inability to run the ball affected the team’s passing attack, as well. Jordan Brown completed just 9-of-21 passes for 97 yards and an interception.

“Our defense has shown steady improvement since then,” Walker allowed, “but Seneca has improved, too. The first game was (eight) games ago.”

The Tigers are two-time defending WPIAL champions and have played 15 playoff games since the start of the 2010 season with a record of 14-1. Meanwhile, the Raiders, who have made the postseason three times in Holl’s four seasons with the team, will be making their first appearance in the district semifinals in 15 years.

But for Holl, the way a team prepares for a season trumps a program’s playoff history.

“Ever since I got here, the plan is to be playing late in the season,” he said. “Every team wants to be playing in Hershey (for the state championship). Most teams don’t get there, but that has to be your goal. If it’s not, you’re in the wrong business.”

The SV-NA winner will face the survivor of the other semifinal between Upper St. Clair and Woodland Hills, in the WPIAL title game at Heinz Field on Nov. 23 at 2 p.m.