SV/NA grid matchup filled with playoff implications
There are two ways the Seneca Valley football team's season can be extended.
The Raiders can qualify for the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs with a win at North Allegheny Friday or by having Canon-McMillan defeat Mt. Lebanon.
"The kids all know what's at stake," said Raiders' coach Ron Butschle. "We have a great core of players and they have a sense of urgency. We obviously want to get in (the playoffs) on our own."
To do that, SV (6-3, 1-2) must hand North Allegheny (8-1, 3-0) its first Tri-County Five Conference loss of the season. The only blemish on the Tigers' slate is a 28-17 setback to Class 5A's Pine-Richland in late September.
"We didn't play our best that night, but have been more focused since then," said NA coach Art Walker Jr. "We've concentrated on getting better and I'm proud of how we've played."
One player spearheading the effort is junior Khiryn Boyd. The receiver leads the team with 31 receptions for 475 yards and has intercepted three passes as a cornerback. In last week's 20-3 win over Penn-Trafford, Boyd scored both of NA's touchdowns — one on a 98-yard kickoff return and the other on a 10-yard pass from Logan Kushner.
The Tigers are averaging 119 yards passing per game and 144 on the ground.
"We're balanced enough that we feel confident we can take whatever the defense gives us," said Walker, who admitted it's a much more difficult task against the Raiders.
"They've got the best defensive front we will have faced this year," he said. "Luke Lawson is a hard-hitting safety who has the speed to cover a lot of ground."
Like Boyd is for the Tigers, Lawson is a major contributor in all three phases for SV. As a wide receiver, he’s totaled 50 receptions for 779 yards and10 touchdowns. He’s also the team’s punter and a leader of a defense that has surrendered points grudgingly for much of the season.
Following last week’s 28-25 loss to Central Catholic, Butschle offered little criticism of his defense.
“There were a few times when we struggled to get off the field, but for the most part, we played the way we needed to on that side of the ball,” he said. “But when you have untimely penalties and allow a kickoff return for a touchdown, it’s hard to win with that.”
Dating back to summer camp, SV has seen a myriad of changes at running back. Zekai Edwards, Max Scanlan and Chris D'Appolonia each have no carries or very few due to injuries.
Wyatt Craver was the workhorse early in the season, but he, too, is now out with injury. That leaves Kai West and Sean O’Shea.
West was banged up in last week’s loss, but Butschle said he is ready to go against the Tigers. On just 35 carries this season, he has rushed for 324 yards and five touchdowns.
O’Shea, who is the backup quarterback to Graham Hancox, entered last week’s game in West’s absence and gained 83 yards and scored once on 16 carries.
“We’ve gone down the list of running backs,” said Butschle. “Sean stepped in, just like he did last year at quarterback when Graham got hurt. He’s a gamer.”
O’Shea quarterbacked SV to a 17-12 victory over North Allegheny last year, but this year’s Tigers have improved considerably on defense. They’ve allowed seven or less points in five of their nine games.
Boyd, along with middle linebacker Tyreé Alualu, are leaders.
“You watch NA on film and you notice two things,” said Butschle. “They play very hard in all three phases of the game and they are extremely well-coached.”
If the Raiders do make the playoffs, they will be either the No. 2 or 4 seed. The latter outcome would match them against North Allegheny in a semifinal playoff.
