Seneca Valley tops Penn Hills, 17-15, in opener
JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley football coach Ron Butschle didn’t seem like a man who had just watched his football team narrowly avoid losing a game they led by 11 at halftime. Holding his beaming 5-month-old granddaughter Ivy, who was adorned with pink sound-canceling headphones, he kept a smile on his face and his mind away from some of the Raiders’ miscues.
Seneca Valley escaped with a 17-15 victory Friday at NexTier Stadium when a 33-yard field goal from Penn Hills kicker Owen Williams went sailing wide left as time expired.
Seneca Valley quarterback Graham Hancox scored the game-winning touchdown with 7 minutes, 48 seconds remaining on a 1-yard run.
“This makes what we do out here all better, no matter what,” Butschle said, gesturing toward his granddaughter. “She’s the best.”
What will keep the rest of the Raiders’ minds at ease was they could pass a measuring-stick game in their season opener. Seneca Valley should have coasted following a dominant first half when it held the Indians to one first-down conversion and -10 yards of offense.
However, the Raiders missed several opportunities to score in the redzone that kept the game close. Seneca Valley senior Chris D’Appolonia, who recorded two sacks, said this was a good learning opportunity.
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