JACKSONTWP — Football season is starting a little earlier this year.

The Western Pennsylvania Warhawks, a semi-pro expansion team in the North American Football League, open a 12-game schedule June 17 in Cleveland against the Ohio Cardinals and will play their home games at Seneca Valley High School.

Their roster isn't set yet — and might never be.

"We'll take players in for tryouts right up to our final game,"team president Noah Holden said. "It feels like we've already had 120 players in and off the team."

Players must pay a one-time team fee, buy their own equipment and pick up their own practice and travel expenses.

"Some guys sign up and come to practice and see it's not for them, some get jobs and simply can't play. ... The turnover is expected,"coach Bernie Sepp said.

The current roster stands at 41, including 12 players with Butler County ties.

Former Seneca Valley players on the team include kicker-punter-running back Nate Lang, linebacker-tight end Brian Borghi, quarterback Luke Mangola, lineman Josh Kropiel, receiver-defensive back Andrew Kanagy, lineman Justin Haefner and defensive end Chuck Dornetto.

"We haven't advertised this team much,"Sepp said. "We've been getting players through word-of-mouth."

"That's how I heard about it,"Borghi said. "I was working out at the gym and heard people talking about a new football team. I called Coach Sepp, signed up and started going to practice."

The Warhawks practice three nights a week, two hours per session.

Borghi played a year of football at Clarion University before leaving school to go to work. He has a construction job now and is eager to return to football.

"All of the guys out here are very serious about this,"Borghi said. "Most of us want to return to either college ball or somewhere at the next level."

Former Slippery Rock University players Jason Gornack (wide receiver) and running back-defensive back Zach Acon are on the roster, as are linebacker-tight end Eric McMillen of Karns City, linebacker Joel Hills of Butler and lineman Gabriel Varrenti of Mars.

The average age of the Warhawks roster is 23. The team's colors are blue and black, same as Seneca Valley's football team.

Home games will be played at 7:30 p.m. July 1, July 15, July 22, Aug. 26, Sept. 9 and Sept. 16.

The NAIL consists of eight regions and 111 teams. The Warhawks are in the Grassroots Division of the Great Lakes Region with the Pittsburgh Colts, Columbus Fire, Ohio Cardinals, New Castle Thunder and Ohio Invaders.

The division champion plays the champion of another division in the same region. The eventual overall region champion plays the champion of another region, etc.

"They whittle it all the way down to two remaining teams and the championship game is played in Southern California," Sepp said. "Then they have a league all-star game, similar to the Pro Bowl, played the following week in Florida."

Sepp is from Beaver County and coached midget league football there for 20 years. He remains president of the Beaver County Youth Football League.

Now he's coaching adults on a first-year team in a league he knows nothing about.

"You have to view it as a challenge," he said. "I've heard the games are fast-paced and very hard-hitting. That's what I'm getting this team ready for."

The Warhawks have drawn players from Butler, Lawrence, Beaver and Allegheny counties, along with the Upper Ohio Valley.

Sepp's coaching staff includes people from Blackhawk, Butler, Ambridge, New Castle, the South Hills and Chester, W.Va.

"We have a lot of players and coaches from good football programs all over the place,"Sepp said. "We listen to the players' ideas because it's their team, too."

Sepp hopes to draw 1,500 to 2,000 fans per home game this season. Seating capacity on the home side of Raider Stadium is about 3,000.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and ages 10-17. Children under 10 are admitted free.

"I'm hoping to get the Seneca Valley marching band to play at halftime of our first home game,"Sepp said. "We're going to have a Veterans/Armed Forces Day, a Youth Football/Cheerleading Day, things like that during the year.

"Our organization will be community-minded because the community will determine our success or failure."