JACKSON TWP — Every high school football team wants to be playing for more than pride in late October, but that will be Seneca Valley's lone motivation when it lines up against winless Shaler at NexTier Stadium Friday night.

Raiders' coach Don Holl is hoping that will be enough for his team to close out an otherwise disappointing season with a win.

“With it being Homecoming and the fact that a lot of our players will be playing on their home field for the last time, you would hope that guys would have a lot of pride,” he said, “but I think that is different for every player.”

The Raiders (1-7, 1-5) enter the game on a three-game losing skid. They dropped a 55-28 non-conference game at Penn Hills last week.

SV quarterback T.J. Holl passed for 289 yards and two touchdowns in the defeat. The senior, who injured his right knee in the season-opener against North Allegheny, has worn a brace since returning to the field in Week 3. He has passed for 1,189 yards, eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

A combination of the injury and the brace has limited his mobility as Holl has rushed for just 183 yards and no touchdowns. Last season, he chewed up 821 yards on the ground and scored 14 touchdowns.

“The ironic thing is that he's throwing a better ball this year and is more accurate,” said Don Holl, “but his biggest strength is his creativity and keeping plays alive. Normally, he is as big of a threat to run as anybody we have in the backfield, but he hasn't been able to do that this year. That said, he has still competed and been a playmaker for us. I respect and appreciate that.”

Injuries have also affected the Raiders on the offensive line, where left tackle and Division I prospect Tyler Hudanick was lost in the Central Catholic game Oct. 10 with a leg injury. He missed last week's game and is not expected to play Friday.

Shaler (0-8, 0-6) has been shut out three times this season, the latest coming by a 44-0 score at North Hills last week.

The Titans have not scored more than 14 points in any game this season, totaling just 48 points through eight games.

Since defeating McDowell 41-28 on Oct. 8, 2011, the Titans have dropped 30 straight games.

But first-year coach Jon LeDonne can take one positive from his team's performance.

“It took our kids a few games, but they are starting to show excitement toward what we are trying to do,” he said. “They understand it better now.

“We have a lot of juniors and sophomores getting varsity reps and a lot of freshmen playing in junior varsity games.”

LeDonne has instituted the spread offense. The unit's biggest weapon is senior wide receiver Robby Reinheimer, who has grabbed 25 passes for 356 yards and a touchdown.

Shaler leads the all-time series 20-14, but the Raiders have won three straight, including a 54-14 decision last year.