BUTLER TWP - It was an ugly step, but it was a giant step.

The Seneca Valley girls basketball team shot just 25 percent from the field, scored only 10 points in the first half and managed but nine field goals all night.

But the Raiders posted a 30-25 at Butler Friday.

"This was the first game we played without (point guard) Val Johnson, and our offense was off," Seneca Valley coach Todd Schoeffel said. "And Butler plays pretty good defense.

"Defense and rebounding won us this game," he added.

Johnson missed the game with a thumb injury and her status is day to day.

The Raiders (11-9, 7-5) won their third straight game and moved closer to clinching a WPIAL spot. If Seneca Valley wins one of its final two section games, or if Pine-Richland defeats Shaler Monday, the Raiders are in.

"We'd prefer to take care of our own business and not need anybody to help us," Schoeffel said.

The Raiders took care of business Friday night with little help from their offense. Seneca Valley took its first lead - and the lead for good - with 2:19 left in the first half when Ashley Turici sank a pair of free throws for a 9-7 advantage.

Seneca Valley's lead peaked at 24-11 with 4:10 left in the game. Butler (10-12, 4-8) had a 5-0 lead with 4:14 left in the first quarter, but went the next 15 minutes and 53 seconds without a field goal.

When sophomore center Amy Achesinski went to the bench with two fouls in the first quarter, the Golden Tornado offense went with her.

"We're always trying to get the ball into Amy, relying on Amy. … When she's not in there, everyone else has to step up her game offensively," Butler coach Dorothea Epps said. "No one would shoot the ball.

"We came alive in the fourth quarter because we finally shot the ball," she added.Butler scored only 11 points in the first three quarters. Seneca Valley had 18."My first year of coaching (1993-94) I had a game we lost 21-20 that was 12-12 after three quarters," Schoeffel said. "That's the last time I remember seeing a game like this."Trailing 26-15 with 2:30 remaining, Butler pulled to within five points at 28-23 as Maria Baroffio sank the game's lone 3-pointer, Achesinski converted a three-point play and Ashley Nocera stole a pass in the backcourt and laid it in.With 1:17 left, it was 28-23. But Seneca Valley's Tina Mangola sank both ends of a one-and-one with 43 seconds left to cement the victory."We ran into some problems with their halfcourt trap," Schoeffel said. "But Tina gave us some much-needed offense in the fourth quarter."Mangola led all players with 12 points. Turici added six points and eight rebounds while Amanda Johnson had six boards.Butler's 25 points marked a season low, as the Tornado lost for the sixth time in seven games.Achesinski had 11 points and seven rebounds for Butler, which was eliminated from playoff contention.Butler's elimination ends a streak of six consecutive years in postseason play."We need to play our last two games like we're playing for the section title," Epps said. "Our team on the floor right now is our team next year. We need to play to win."SENECA VALLEY 30Kelsey Spencer 1-4 1-6 3, Chelsey Pavlick 0-10 5-5 5, Laura Ness 1-1 0-0 2, Ryan Ingrassia 1-1 0-0 2, Tina Mangola 4-11 4-6 12, Amanda Johnson 0-4 0-0 0, Ashley Turici 2-5 2-3 6. Totals: 9-36 12-21 30BUTLER 25Rachel Barry 0-3 2-4 2, Karissa King 0-2 0-0 0, Jennifer Lesniewski 0-1 0-0 0, Liz Schultz 0-2 0-0 0, Ashley Nocera 1-5 0-0 2, Kelley Crater 1-5 0-0 2, Amy Achesinski 4-7 3-3 11, Maria Baroffio 2-12 1-2 6, Julie Ehrman 0-3 0-0 0, Michelle Ritchey 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 9-41 6-9 253-point goal:BaroffioJV:Butler, 45-36 (B-Abby Herrit 16, SV-Courtney Grootegoed 9)Monday:Butler @ North Hills, Seneca Valley @ New Castle