Seneca Valley hangs on in PIAA boys soccer first-round test against Conestoga Valley
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Seneca Valley's Donovan Miller (7) attempts a header against Conestoga Valley's in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Zach White (8) celebrates a score against Conestoga Valley in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Jacob Prex (10) heads the ball against Conestoga Valley in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Connor Mackrell (22) battles a Conestoga Valley player in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Jacob Prex (10) attempts to score against Conestoga Valley in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Luke West (3) passes the ball in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Jacob Prex (10) heads the ball in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Zach White (8) attempts to score in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Donovan Miller (7) kicks the ball in for a score in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Max Gochis (9) heads the ball in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Donovan Miller (7) celebrates a goal in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Donovan Miller (7) attempts to score in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Connor Mackrell (22) takes an elbow to the back of the head while fighting for the ball against Conestoga Valley in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Kyle DeMater (1) attempts to block a scoring shot by Conestoga Valley in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Kyle DeMater (1) attempts to block a scoring shot by Conestoga Valley in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Connor Mackrell (22) takes an elbow to the back of the head while fighting for the ball against Conestoga Valley in a PIAA Class 4A boys soccer first-round game Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
JACKSON TWP — After scoring three goals and limiting the opposition to one shot on net in the first half, Seneca Valley seemingly had its opening-round PIAA Class 4A boys soccer game wrapped up.
But Conestoga Valley wasn’t ready to go home that easily.
The District 3 fourth-seed Buckskins (13-5-2) scored two goals three minutes apart in the second half, forcing the WPIAL champion Raiders to hold on for a 3-2 victory Wednesday night, Nov. 11, at SV’s NexTier Stadium.
Seneca Valley (18-1) allowed two goals in a game for the first time all season. The Raiders have surrendered only nine goals this year. SV will face District 1 runner-up Abington, a 3-0 winner over Lower Dauphin, in Saturday’s quarterfinals at a site and time to be determined.
“We came out in the second half and just relaxed too much,” SV senior forward Jacob Prex said. “We were up 3-0 and figured that was enough to put the game away.
“Fortunately for us, it was. But just barely.”
The Raiders scored goals in the eighth, 13th and 18th minutes of the first half to build that 3-0 lead. Senior forward Zach White got SV on the board, heading in a crossing pass from fellow senior Max Gochis.
Junior midfielder Derek Larrimer took a pass from Ryan Zirpoli off a corner kick, beating goalkeeper Paddy Kerns for the second goal. Kerns lunged to make a stop on a long-range shot five minutes later. He couldn’t secure the ball after making the save and junior midfielder Donovan Miller knocked in the rebound to make it 3-0.
Seneca Valley had nine shots on net to Conestoga Valley’s one.
“Our goalkeeper was playing on a sprained ankle and was having trouble maneuvering,” Buckskins head coach David Hartlaub said. “We went with our backup keeper, Caedon Ulrich, in the second half.
“He played fantastic. He kept is in the game.”
Ulrich stopped all four Raider shots on net in the second half. Senior midfielder Paxton Rossos got Conestoga Valley on the board in the 52nd minute. He was awarded a penalty kick and beat SV netminder Kyle DeMaster with a high shot into the right corner from 13 yards out.
Rossos, who entered the game with five goals on the year, found himself all alone from 20 yards out and drilled the ball into the net again just three minutes later.
“We were upset about the PK and we got caught out of position on their second goal,” SV senior defender Chase Lively said. “After that, we defenders got together and tightened up. That had to be it.”
The improved fundamentals came in handy in the 66th minute. Buckskin junior Prince Oracius had the ball on his foot, just outside the box to the right of the net. As he turned to shoot, Lively was able to smother the shot.
“That was a big play,” Raiders head coach George Williams said.
“Our center back had the middle covered and I was left one-on-one with him,” Lively said. “Just don’t let him get it (the shot) off.”
Hartlaub said his team began the game “a little shell-shocked. Seneca Valley has a great team and was playing its system well. We had to roll the dice and take chances in the second half. I thought we played them on even terms the rest of the way.”
The Raiders wound up with 12 shots on net to Conestoga Valley’s four. The Buckskins had five corner kicks to SV’s three.
“Hopefully, we learned a lesson tonight,” Williams said. “You can’t relax against anybody at this stage of the season. Credit to Conestoga Valley for coming back.”
