Pallbearers move the casket of Sam Bucci behind St. Paul Lutheran Church Saturday following funeral services. Bucci was the first of three teens who died last week when their SUV overturned in a lake to be buried. About 200 people attended services for Bucci, a Seneca Valley senior and Zelienople Volunteer Fire Department member.

ZELIENOPLE — The first of three Seneca Valley High School seniors killed Wednesday in a vehicle accident was buried Saturday.

About 200 people attended funeral services for Sam Bucci, 18, of Zelienople, who died along with two friends when the SUV they were riding in skidded off Ben Venue Road and overturned in a lake.

Mourners filled every pew and lined the walls of St. Paul Lutheran Church, which the Bucci family attends. The crowd included people dressed in dark suits, Seneca Valley letter jackets and dress uniforms worn by firefighters.

Bucci was a volunteer firefighter with the Zelienople Volunteer Fire Department and played on the high school baseball team.

"He enjoyed the fire department, but more than that, he valued your friendship," said Pastor Bill Glassman during his eulogy.

Glassman is a friend of the Bucci family and one of Sam Bucci's former baseball coaches.

"Sam had a gentle, loving and caring heart, and his character showed," Glassman said.

"He represented himself and his family well, whether winning or losing."

Cars and Zelienople fire rescue vehicles lined North Main Street and side streets surrounding the church.

In a scene both private and public, attendees celebrating Bucci's life filed past news reporters around the church and television cameras set up at the intersection of Main Street and Grandview Avenue.

"It's good to see so many people here for Sam," said one young man who said he'd played baseball with Bucci.

"I didn't know him great, but he was an awesome teammate and always had a smile on his face."

Another of Bucci's former coaches who spoke during the service said the teen had been invited to workouts with the Kansas City Royals baseball club following graduation, but was too humble to spread the news.

The Rev. William Brewer, who officiated at the ceremony, compared Bucci's faith to a man he'd met who read the conclusions of books first to determine if he wanted to read the whole story.

"Living in the light of the Lord, Sam knew how his story would end," Brewer said.

Elijah M. Lunsford, 18, of Fombell and Trevor Barkley, 17, of Harmony were the other victims of Wednesday's accident.

Barkley's funeral was to be held today and Lunsford's is scheduled for Tuesday.