BUTLER TWP — What a difference one week can make.

On Jan. 18, Seneca Valley’s wrestling team suffered a 47-21 defeat to rival Butler.

After both teams were beaten in the semifinals of Wednesday’s Class AAA Section 3 Tournament — host Butler by a 42-36 count to Shaler and Seneca Valley in a 51-11 decision to North Allegheny — the Raiders avenged their earlier loss by downing the Golden Tornado 37-31 in the third-place consolation match.

“We had Nick Montalbano (132 pounds) back in the lineup and that helped,” said Seneca Valley coach Kevin Wildrick. “Plus we had guys wrestle up to their own expectations.

“This is a big confidence-builder for us moving forward.”

The match began at 160 pounds. A win by technical fall from Butler’s Caleb Baxter at 170 and a pin from Saavon Mosby at 220 helped the Tornado open up a 19-6 lead.

The Raiders’ comeback began in the heavyweight bout between SV’s Kevin Meeder and Seth McCrea. In the dual match held last week, McCrea scored a pin in the first period.

Meeder proved to be a much tougher opponent this time. The only point scored in the first four minutes came on Meeder’s escape in the second period and he carried the slim edge into the third period.

McCrea took the lead with a reversal, but Meeder pulled even with another escape as the match entered overtime at 2-2.

Neither wrestler could score in the first 90 seconds of extra time. Finally, with 10 seconds remaining in the third overtime, Meeder managed a reversal. The 4-2 decision jump-started the Raiders.

“In the first match (last week), I wasn’t feeling well and just wanted the night to be over with,” said Meeder. “But then I started thinking about how I had my butt handed to me.

“I felt I could do better,” he added. “I had a lot of family in the stands tonight and felt that fire inside me. It was different, trying to dig deep for that long. I’ve never been involved in a match that lasted that long.”

One other rematch from last week saw the Raiders turn the tables on Butler. At 106, Caden Leighty won by major decision (23-12) over Cam Weisenstein after the latter earned a pin in the first meeting.

The wins by Meeder and Leighty represented a 19-point swing from Butler’s dual-meet victory.

“The first time we went up against them (Raiders), we were aggressive and won every close match,” said Butler coach Scott Stoner. “Tonight, we weren’t as aggressive, weren’t as physical.

“I give credit to Kevin (Wildrick). He had his kids ready.”

Following Jason Geyer’s pin of Takoda Gerlach at 113, the Raiders were even with Butler at 19-19. Louis Newell then put SV up for good with a pin at 120.

Newell also scored a technical fall in the semifinal match against North Allegheny. He won a Southwest Regional title and was runner-up in the state as a sophomore last year at 106 pounds. He improved his record to 27-1 this season.

“He’s been sick lately, so he is a little down on his conditioning,” said Wildrick, “but other than that, he looks like the same kid from last year.”

With three bouts remaining, Scott Dietrich kept Butler’s hopes alive with a tight 7-6 decision over Drew Vlasnik at 138. It was the 101st win of his varsity career and pulled the Tornado to within 31-25.

But the Raiders clinched the team win with Alex Fischer’s pin in the next bout.

Butler narrowly missed wrestling for the section championship. In the semifinal loss to Shaler, the Tornado trailed 39-36 with only the 145-pound bout left.

The Titans sealed the win when Eric Warren managed a 10-3 decision over Sam Dietrich.

Both the Raiders and Golden Tornado will compete in the WPIAL team playoffs, which begin Monday. North Allegheny won the Section 3 title by outscoring Shaler 45-27.

Semifinal

North Allegheny 51, Seneca Valley 11

(Match started at 152 pounds)

106-Fred Junko (NA) pinned Caden Leighty; 113-Jacob Downing (NA) major dec. Jason Geyer; 120-Louis Newell (SV) tech. fall Gabe Falo; 126-Gavin Jackman (SV) dec. Nick Marcenelle; 132-Will Baierl (NA) dec. Nick Montalbano; 138-Zach Stedeford (NA) pinned Drew Vlasnik; 145-Jake Hinkson (NA) dec. Alex Fischer; 152-Jon Hoover (NA) dec. Hunter Vokes; 160-Jacob Smalley (NA) dec. Gavin Funovits; 170-Eric Hong (NA) pinned Ty Gross; 182-Patrick Johnson (SV) dec. Jimmy Turici; 195-Jacob Fritsch (NA) pinned Sam Baic; 220-Jake Woodley (NA) tech. fall Drake Church; Hwt.-Derek Devine (NA) pinned Kevin Meeder.

Semifinal

Shaler 42, Butler 36

(Match started at 152 pounds)

106-Ryan Sullivan (S) pinned Cam Weisenstein; 113-Takoda Gerlacht (B) won by forfeit; 120-Dylan Winters (S) pinned Colton Spohn; 126-Ian Scarberry (S) major dec. Jack Codispot; 132-Garret Reinsfelder (S) pinned Nate McDonald; 138-Scott Dietrich (B) won by forfeit; 145-Eric Warren (S) dec. Sam Dietrich; 152-Jake Pollack (S) won by forfeit; 160-Jon Frazier (S) pinned Justin Stewart; 170-Caleb Baxter (B) won by forfeit; 182-Christian Sequete (B) pinned Noah Sampson; 195-Tom Greaves (B) pinned John Harker; 220-Saavon Mosby (B) won by forfeit; Hwt.-Ron D’Amico (S) tech. fall Seth McCrea.

Third-Place Consolation

Seneca Valley 37, Butler 31

(Match started at 160 pounds)

106-Caden Leighty (SV) major dec. Cam Weisenstein, 23-12; 113-Jason Geyer (SV) pinned Takoda Gerlach, :44; 120-Louis Newell (SV) pinned Colton Spohn, 2:28; 126-Jack Codispot (B) dec. Gavin Jackman, 9-5; 132-Nick Montalbano (SV) pinned Nate McDonald, :42; 138-Scott Dietrich (B) dec. Drew Vlasnik, 7-6; 145-Alex Fischer (SV) pinned Sam Dietrich, 5:00; 152-Justin Stewart (B) pinned Hunter Vokes, 1:38; 160-Ty Gross (SV) pinned Rob Hays, 1:23; 170-Caleb Baxter (B) tech. fall Gavin Funovits, 18-3; 182-Christian Sequete (B) won by forfeit; 195-Tom Greaves (B) dec. Patrick Johnson, 6-0*; 220-Saavon Mosby (B) pinned Drake Church, 2:31; Hwt.-Kevin Meeder (SV) dec. Seth McCrea, 4-2 (3OT).

*Following the 195-pound bout, Butler was deducted one team point due to unsportsmanlike conduct.