JACKSON TWP — Peet Poillon’s faith in the Seneca Valley boys lacrosse team can best be described as a quiet confidence — he lets his squad’s play do most of the talking.

So far this season, the Raiders have made quite a statement.

SV finished the regular season with a 14-1 overall record, running away with the Division I, Section II title.

The Raiders are ranked No. 1 in Western Pennsylvania by laxpower.com, but Poillon is more concerned with their next game.

Seneca will host Peters Township (10-6) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in a WPIAL quarterfinal playoff.

“They’re a pretty athletic team,” Poillon said of the Indians. “I’m sure they are pumped up to get a shot at us. Our guys know they are a worthy first-round opponent.”

Poillon’s first season as the head coach at his alma mater ended in two consecutive losses last May. First came a 9-7 defeat to Mt. Lebanon in the district semifinals.

The Raiders then missed out on a trip to the state playoffs with an 11-5 loss to North Allegheny in the third-place consolation match.

This spring, the message has been simple: To improve their showing in the playoffs, the Raiders had to improve on the field.

In particular, the defense heard it loud and clear.

“Entering this season, the offense was identified as our strength,” said Poillon. “But we currently have the best defense in the league. That bodes well for us.”

SV has given up just 61 goals this year, an average of just over four per game. The Raiders’ play on that side of the field has come as a welcomed surprise.

“At the start of the season, the whole team had an unspoken uneasiness about the defense,” said senior defender Steve Kraynik after Monday’s practice. “We definitely felt we had something to prove.

“We’re communicating more this year,” he added. “Everybody recognizes their role.”

Nobody has a better view of the defense than goalie Jake Succop.

“They’re playing more physical this season, more aggressive,” he said.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Succop himself had a year of starting under his belt. The senior has not disappointed his coaches or teammates.

“He’s been excellent,” said Poillon. “Nothing’s changed there, he had a great year last season.”

The offense has remained steady, led by three members of the attack — seniors David Hall and Mike Argyros and junior Derek Finney.

The Raiders have scored at least 11 goals in eight contests this season, averaging a WPIAL Division I best 10.8 per game.

“There have been times this season when we’ve gotten out of running our offense,” said Argyros. “But when we focus in, we’re going to get a shot off. We make those second and third passes to find the open man.”

Seneca Valley’s lone defeat this season was a 7-5 setback to Mt. Lebanon April 20.

“We won three of the four quarters,” said Poillon, “but when you play a team as good as Mt. Lebanon, you have to play a full 48 minutes.”

The Blue Devils are lurking on the other side of the bracket, meaning that if the two teams meet again in the WPIAL playoffs, it would be for the district title later this month.

“We are focused on one game at a time,” said Kraynik. “In practice, everybody is thinking about Peters Township.”

“We know we’re not guaranteed anything,” said Poillon. “We have to earn another shot at Mt. Lebanon.”