Tigers headed to town
JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley's loss to Norwin in late August must seem like years ago to the Raiders.
But an old nemesis is hoping to bring SV back down to earth.
The Raiders (3-1) begin Northern Six Conference play at 7:30 p.m. Friday when they host North Allegheny.
The Tigers' first four games have yielded good and bad for head coach Art Walker, Jr.
NA's two wins came over Mount Lebanon in Week 2 (37-0) and against a strong Penn Hills team last week (25-22).
But the two losses were bitter pills to swallow.
"We weren't happy with having a chance to beat Altoona and fumbling it away at the end," Walker said of his team's 28-21 loss to open the season. "And we lost on the last play of the game to Upper St. Clair (30-28 Sept. 12).
"But we're hoping that we learned something from those that will help prepare us for section play."
The Tigers will bring a balanced offensive attack into NexTier Stadium.
Senior quarterback Mike Locke displayed his passing ability by completing 18 of 25 for 296 yards last week.
"Mike played a lot before this year," said Walker. "He's developed more and more every week."
In the Tigers' 43-13 win over SV last year, Locke passed for 207 yards and two touchdowns.
NA senior wideout Brian Austin, who won the WPIAL Class AAA title in the 100-meter dash last spring, caught nine passes for 143 yards and a touchdown last Friday.
Sophomore running back Alex Papson is averaging almost 100 yards per contest with a total of 391 after four games.
"We plan on being as balanced as we can be," Walker said.
"This will by far be our toughest test yet," SV coach Ron Butschle said of the Tigers. "They're always well-coached and have a great game plan. They may be the top team in our conference."
Much of the focus Friday will be on NA's defense and how it responds to Seneca Valley's no-huddle spread attack.If SV quarterback C.J. Brown's passing numbers aren't daunting enough — 1,120 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions — his running ability gives defensive coaches fits.Through four games, Brown has rushed for 318 yards and eight touchdowns."Brown's ability to stay calm in the pocket and run if he has to is what sets him apart from other quarterbacks," said Walker.If Friday's game is close, SV junior kicker Will Hugo might be needed to put the Raiders over the top with a field goal.Since missing three gin the loss at Norwin, Hugo has made his only field goal attempt — a 27-yard kick against Erie McDowell — and all but one of his extra points."I'm confident in him," Butschle said.North Allegheny has won five straight meetings against the Raiders, whose last win in the series was a 47-21 decision in 2002.
