JACKSON TWP — The Seneca Valley boys soccer program is on an impressive run of WPIAL playoff appearances.

The 2013 Raiders aren’t about to buck that trend.

SV defeated North Hills 3-0 Saturday, improving to 9-1-1 overall and 8-0 in Section 2-AAA.

Clinching the program’s sixth straight postseason berth is just a formality and could be achieved as early as tonight when the Raiders host Shaler.

“We have a strong club program, so we have a lot of young players coming up through the system playing good soccer,” said Raiders’ veteran coach George Williams. “That’s had a lot to do with our success.”

SV has a fourth section title in six seasons in its sights, but nothing has been settled yet.

“There’s no guarantee that we will continue to win,” said Williams. “We have to keep earning it.”

Only three full-time starters returned from last year’s team that went 14-5-1 overall — seniors Jared Myers (forward), Joe DeAugustino (defender) and Colton Smith (goalkeeper).

“We knew we had talented players coming back this year, but a lot of them didn’t have much varsity experience,” Williams said. “When that’s the case, you never know how things are going to turn out.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better start, though,” he added. “We are very pleased with where we are.”

The biggest victory in SV’s current nine-game winning streak was a 1-0 win over previously unbeaten North Allegheny Sept. 19. Junior Danny Wallowicz scored the game’s only goal and is one of many players who have tallied big scores for the Raiders this season.

Myers leads the team in total points with five goals and nine assists.

Senior Brad Banks has managed three goals and two assists while sophomores Matt Saluga (five goals, six assists), Connor McCandless (four goals, one assist) and T.J. Turley (three goals, four assists) have done their part.

“A lot of guys are capable of putting the ball in the net,” said Myers. “We’re really confident in each other right now.”

DeAugustino and Kalin DiPaolo lead a solid defense that has helped SV surrender just seven goals in 11 games.

“None of the guys on defense are afraid to go into a tackle because if the ball does get by us, we know the others are back there to pick it up,” said DeAugustino.

Smith has done his part in net, coming up with clutch saves to preserve the Raiders’ perfect section mark.

Outside of high school, Smith minds the net for Beadling, one of the best club teams in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

“I play for a team in the Premiere League,” said Smith. “We’ve played in tournaments in Maryland and Virginia and the competition is better than what you get in high school. It’s really helped my game.

“As a goalkeeper, you have to have a short memory in order to succeed,” he added. “If you do give up a goal, you have to forget about it and just hope that your offense will get it back for you.”

The Raiders understand they are a marked team. Their remaining section opponents would like nothing better than to add a blemish to SV’s record.

“We’re definitely ready for that challenge,” DeAugustino said. “Being the team that everybody else is striving to beat, that’s the position we want to be in.”