Don't let the 1-9 record fool you.

The 2005 Seneca Valley football team had its share of talent and its senior players are proving it.

Offensive lineman Andrew Rieder recently signed a letter of intent to continue his athletic and academic careers at Seton Hill University in Greensburg.

Rieder joined quarterback Kevan Smith (University of Pittsburgh), wide receiver Zach Duggan and offensive lineman Brandon Fusco (Slippery Rock University), linebacker Ben Edwards (Westminster), offensive lineman Pat Jones and defensive lineman Phil Mignanelli (Waynesburg) as soon-to-be SV graduates who will be playing football in college.

"It's gratifying as a coach to help these kids go on to the next level," said Seneca Valley coach Ron Butschle. "I wish I had them another year."

Rieder started at center for the Raiders last season, but is a versatile lineman.

"I played guard my junior year and was a tight end my sophomore season," Rieder said. "I was pretty weak when I first got to varsity but have gotten stronger and quicker in the last three years."

Rieder, who will be receiving a partial scholarship at Seton Hill, has committed to a program that is just getting off the ground.

The Griffins have only one season under their belts: last year's 1-9 campaign.

"We're still a very young program," said Seton Hill coach Chris Snyder. "All of our players are either freshmen or sophomores, but we just need to work hard to get stronger and faster."

Snyder hopes for Rieder to contribute immediately.

"We saw him on tape and liked his size (6-feet-3, 246 pounds)," said Snyder. "We'd like to see him come in and compete for the starting center position."

Seton Hill will compete in the NAIA's America Mideast Conference this season before moving to the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2007.

• With his high school career in doubt, Ben Edwards was hoping for a different opinion.

And he got one.

What Edwards thought was a sprained right ankle turned out to be a chipped bone.

"All the doctors around here said that I needed surgery that would cause me to miss all of my senior season," said Edwards. "But then I went to a doctor in Baltimore who performed arthroscopic surgery on the ankle. He said I'd have a 50-50 chance of coming back.

"I was just happy to even have a chance to play."

Edwards, a 6-0, 220-pound linebacker at Seneca Valley, made it back for the final five games of last season.

"If I could sing the praises of just one player from last year's team, it would be him," Butschle said. "He only played in five games, but was still named second team all-conference. It would have been nice to have him the whole season."

Now, with his ankle completely healed, Edwards is looking to leave his mark on Westminster football.

"I really liked the coaching staff and the facilities," Edwards said of the Lawrence County school. "Plus, it didn't hurt that both of my parents graduated from there."

Westminster is coming off a 4-6 season.

"I've been told that I'll have a chance to earn a spot on special teams next season," said Edwards.

• Pat Jones and Phil Mignanelli will be trying to make his mark at Waynesburg.

Jones, a 6-3, 272-pound offensive tackle, started for SV the last two seasons.

"Pat's a pretty versatile kid, like Andrew (Rieder)," said Butschle. "He might even be a little more athletic than Andrew."

Mignanelli, a 6-2, 292-pound defensive tackle, made marked improvement under Butschle.

"He improved a lot from his junior year to his senior year," the coach said. "He's a wrestler and he knows how to use his leverage."

Waynesburg, coached by former Seneca Valley coach Rick Shepas, also managed a 4-6 record last season.