JACKSON TWP — John Price and his fellow seniors on the Seneca Valley boys volleyball team didn’t want to wait until the high school season started to get their rhythm down.

Price, Tyler Herrmann, Austin Herrmann, Anthony Sprentz, Taylor Matthews and Steve Jones formed the Pittsburgh Volleyball Club North team.

They stayed together after splitting up in past years and felt confident entering the season.

Getting their timing down is important for the system third-year Seneca Valley coach Dan Follett wants them to run.

Follett pushes the pace, which he compares to the spread attack in football.

“It starts with the pass and from there we want to put it right back down their throats,” said Matthews, a 6-foot-4 middle blocker. “We want to go as fast as we can and put that point away and go on to the next one.”

The Raiders (4-1, 4-1) opened with four sweeps in Section 2-AAA matches before losing 3-0 to Fox Chapel, which is ranked No. 1 in the state, Thursday.

Seneca Valley is on pace to have its highest win total since 2012, when it finished 15-3 and reached the PIAA playoffs.

The Raiders went 8-6 last season and lost in the WPIAL quarterfinals.

“After the season ended, we decided one reason we didn’t make it is our chemistry,” Price said. “Collectively, we discussed it, saying we wanted to play together as a team.”

Before they tried out for different squads and ended up being split between various club teams and age groups.

With PVC North, they ended up playing some of the best teams from Yorktown and around the state.

“We mutually decided that we could do this all winter together,” Matthews said. “It’s awesome because the level of play in club is so high it prepares you for the high school system.”

Follett has seen the pace gradually pick up during his three seasons. This senior-laden group benefits from having the time in the system.

“The program has evolved with experience of players getting better and better every year,” Follett said. “It’s a more complex system and there are more complex athletic actions we can now do. We have the understanding of the basics and can expound on those.”

Building the basics took time.

Seneca Valley focuses on running the middle.

“We started slow because we had to learn how to play (Follett’s) system of volleyball,” Price said. “As soon as you establish the middle, we have to have quick sets to the pins, which are the right-side and outside-hitters.”

Those quick sets can set up one-on-one opportunities if the opposing team’s middle blocker bites.

Seneca Valley has created plenty of opportunities.

That’s helped the Raiders pick up noteworthy wins, including a 3-0 decision over seven-time defending WPIAL champion North Allegheny.

Price leads the team with 107 kills, while Tyler Herrmann is second with 90 kills and a .313 hitting percentage.

Matthews has 64 kills, 18 aces and 19 blocks. Sprentz has handed out 317 assists.

Price wants to see Seneca Valley continue to take baby steps toward championship contention. All of the extra time in the winter has him believing the Raiders can do big things.

“It gave us a lot more confidence as well,” Price said. “We knew what we could do, gave us assurance for what we’re capable of doing.”