Seneca Valley boys basketball gets critical WPIAL section win against Butler team fighting for playoff life
JACKSON TWP — This WPIAL Section 1-6A boys basketball season has taken on the illustration of cartoon dust-cloud melee.
So, please, forgive Owen Congdon, Kevin Trost and Seneca Valley if they aren’t ready to exhale just yet.
“I don’t know about breathing room,” said Congdon, a senior center, after the Raiders’ 50-30 boys basketball home win over Butler on Friday night. “The section’s really tight.”
Seneca Valley (11-8, 6-6) entered the night in the fifth slot in the section standings, meaning it also owned the grouping’s final postseason spot. The Golden Tornado stepped on the floor two spots behind and, after losing their fourth straight, are teetering on the brink of elimination.
The Raiders’ coach is waiting to cross anyone out in permanent marker.
“Honestly, everybody’s still really close,” Trost said. “We’ve been telling our guys the whole second half is like the playoffs. We need to win as much as we can because everybody’s so bunched together. You never know what can happen.”
Butler’s main issue against its neighboring foe was the same one it has run into plenty already.
“The reality of the situation is we’re having trouble scoring points,” head coach Matt Clement said. “We’ve had trouble scoring points all year. We’ve shifted, we’ve tried different things, we’ve done different things. We got a lot of open shots tonight. We just didn’t put it in the ocean, and maybe some guys are pressing a little bit.
“You aren’t gonna shoot, I think it’s 12 for 46 from the field and 4 for 23 from 3(-point territory) and win any game. ... Guys are working. They still care. They’re plugging away. We’re all frustrated to a degree.”
Bridging the second and third frames, Butler (6-12, 4-8) went 10:31 without sinking a shot from the field. By the time senior Toby Geibel drilled a corner 3-pointer 3:47 into the second half — cutting his team’s deficit to 13 — things looked a lot different than they did after his previous make, a put-back 1:16 into the second quarter that kept the Golden Tornado within three.
Seniors Stainton Forbes and Andrew Gettinger, who top every opposing coach’s defensive game plan — including Trost’s — were limited to 13 combined points. Trost complemented his side’s work on the glass, which limited opportunities for the Golden Tornado’s dangerous tandem.
“We’re built on defense, physicality, rebounding — those are our three main statures,” Congdon said.
Congdon posted a game-high 16 points, including five baskets in the paint in the latter half.
“We haven’t been a good team in desperation mode,” Clement said. “We got in desperation mode. It put us in a bad spot. We tend to stand and watch too much in desperation mode.”
With their backs against the wall, Clement knows who he’s turning to.
“Until there isn’t a path, we’re gonna fight, and we’re gonna try to figure it out,” Clement said. “And it’s gonna be on the backs of Stainton and Getty. ... On one hand, it feels like unfair pressure, but they’re our guys. And they wanna be our guys.”
Meanwhile, in the home stretch of the schedule, Seneca Valley has been intent on not having to will itself out of a corner.
“First time around, there were some games that we lost — Fox Chapel, (Butler) — and we knew that the second time they come around here that we had to work together as team and fight back to get this one,” said Raiders senior Andrew Omasits, who finished with 14 points.
BUTLER 30
Toby Geibel 3 2-3 11, Stainton Forbes 4 0-0 8, Andrew Gettinger 2 0-2 5, Mavrik Clement 1 0-0 2, Boden Lenyk 1 0-0 2, Jaydon Wilbert 1 0-0 2, Jace Gratzmiller 0 0-0 0, Zavyr Gregory 0 0-0 0, Cael Hanley 0 0-0 0, Drew Cuny 0 0-0 0, Max Byers 0 0-0 0, Karsten Lenyk 0 0-0 0, Landon Slear 0 0-0 0, Xavier Lowry 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 2-5 30.
SENECA VALLEY 50
Owen Congdon 8 0-0 16, Andrew Omasits 5 2-4 14, Luke West 1 2-2 5, Ryan Priester 2 0-0 4, Jaxon Householder 1 1-2 3, Reese Fatur 1 0-0 3, Jack Cathcart 1 0-0 2, Easton Blair 0 0-0 0, Carter Lynch 0 0-0 0, Matthew Palano 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 5-8 50.
Butler 9 4 7 10 — 30
Seneca Valley 18 8 13 15 — 50
3-point goals: Seneca Valley 5 (Omasits 2, Santapau, Fatur, West); Butler 4 (Geibel 3, Gettinger)
Tuesday: Pine-Richland at Butler; Woodland Hills at Seneca Valley
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Seneca Valley’s Andrew Omasits (3) takes it to the rim in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Stainton Forbes (4) takes it to the rim in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Reese Fatur (20) Jack Cathcart (5) and Andrew Omasits (3) celebrate their 50-30 win over Butler in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Luke West (21) attempts to block a shot by Butler’s Boden Lenyk (13) in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Stainton Forbes (4) and Seneca Valley’s Luke West (21) wrestle for the ball in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Jaydon Wilbert (2) passes the ball in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Tobias Geibel (0) shoots a 3-pointer in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s coach Kevin Trost celebrates with Jace Gratzmiller (3) in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valey celebrates a 50-30 win over Butler in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Jaxon Householder (2) dribbles the ball around Butler’s Stainton Forbes (4) in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley defeated Butler 50-30 in a boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
