Seneca Valley quarterback Donny Holl throws a pass in a game against Norwin Sept. 4. Holl has thrown for 382 yards in two games as the Raiders prepare to host Baldwin Friday.

JACKSON TWP — Stopping the run has been the Seneca Valley football team's Achilles heel in 2009.

And for the third straight week, the Raiders will face a team that will bring a strong ground attack when SV hosts Baldwin at 7:30 p.m. Friday at NexTier Stadium.

In its two losses to open the season — to Norwin (17-7) and to Erie McDowell (35-20) — Seneca Valley gave up 556 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

The average distance of the scoring runs was 52 yards.

The Highlanders run the triple option and, though the team scored a total of only 21 points in losses to Shaler and Gateway, the offensive scheme can be a highly productive.

"The triple option is very similar to (McDowell's) flexbone," said Raiders coach Don Holl. "One difference is Baldwin does throw a spread package at you every once in a while where they have three wide receivers on the field."

The biggest threat to SV's defense will be Baldwin senior running back/quarterback Jordan Joyce, who ran for 136 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in a 29-14 loss to Shaler in Week 1.

"We will play two quarterbacks, Jordan and Nate Reed," said first-year Baldwin coach Jim Wehner. "And if either of them catches fire, we'll stick with him. But Jordan will be on the field, either way, at quarterback or tailback. He runs the triple option better than anyone else we have."

The Raiders' linebacking corps of Luke Mueller and Randy Morris (inside) and Sean Kalnas and Pete Vicente (outside) will be counted on to continue its solid play.

"Our linebackers have been very productive," Holl said. "They've been making good reads and making tackles."

As for Seneca Valley's offense, junior quarterback Donny Holl has thrown for 382 yards and a touchdown in two contests.

Last week at McDowell, he distributed the ball to seven different receivers, as wideouts Jordan Glaser and Vicente and tight end Andrew Smith combined for 18 catches for 204 yards and two scores.

"We're becoming more productive on offense," said Coach Holl. "We saw some good things on film. It's still a process, but we eliminated some errors."

Donny Holl and the Raiders will be tested by a secondary that returns three starters: cornerbacks Larry Wallace and Tyler Marquis, and Joyce, a free safety. Sophomore strong safety Zack DeNardo is the newcomer to the group.

"Coming into the season, we felt the secondary was a strength," said Wehner. "Those three (starters) are all good athletes.

"We look for (the Raiders) to open up with the run to set up the passing game," he said. "(Holl) can really throw the football."

Wehner spent the last four seasons as the head coach at Yough High, where his teams compiled a record of 24-15 and made the WPIAL playoffs three times.

He's trying to get the Highlanders (0-2) to postseason play for the first time in four seasons.

"We played pretty good football in our two scrimmages (Fox Chapel and Norwin)," said Wehner. "And we got a lot of experience out of our first couple games against two tough opponents."