Seneca Valley boys basketball’s skid continues vs Pine-Richland as WPIAL playoffs loom
Seneca Valley’s Jaxon Householder (2) drives the ball around Pine Richland’s Grant Spacciapolli (3) in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s Andrew Omasits (3) takes possession of a loose ball from Pine Richland’s Alex Kastner (11) in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley’s Andrew Omasits (3) drives the ball around Pine-Richland’s Nathan Natali (10) in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Clark Shaney, center, celebrates with the rest of the Seneca Valley student section,, who were all wearing red for heart health month, after Seneca Valley scored against Pine Richland in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Jaxon Householder (2) drives the ball around Pine Richland’s Grant Spacciapolli (3) in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Andrew Omasits (3) takes possession of a loose ball from Pine Richland’s Alex Kastner (11) in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley’s Andrew Omasits (3) drives the ball around Pine-Richland’s Nathan Natali (10) in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Clark Shaney, center, celebrates with the rest of the Seneca Valley student section,, who were all wearing red for heart health month, after Seneca Valley scored against Pine Richland in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley fell to Pine-Richland 64-34 in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
JACKSON TWP — Momentum is a relevant concept as it pertains to Seneca Valley.
“I don’t think it carries over from game to game, but we definitely have to play better,” Raiders boys basketball coach Kevin Trost said following a 64-34 loss to Pine-Richland on Friday night.
Having once been in the boys basketball driver’s seat in WPIAL Section 1-6A, the Raiders (11-11, 8-6 in-section) have stumbled in five straight contests heading into the postseason. They fell into a 8-0 hole to begin the home game with the Rams and never climbed out.
“We just got off to a bad start, we never really got our legs underneath us and it just snowballed,” Trost said. “The result was the result. It was a rough night.”
Pine-Richland (6-14, 4-9) entered the contest without a chance to play past it. Their playoff hopes were dashed by Butler after Tayt Lucas’ buzzer-beating layup earlier this week.
Seneca Valley’s Andrew Omasits (3) takes possession of a loose ball from Pine Richland’s Alex Kastner (11) in a boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Seneca Valley High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
“I think we just got out and really pressured and played man-to-man (defense),” Rams coach Bob Petcash said of his side’s approach to slowing the Raiders.
The visitors went 14 of 24 (58.3%) from the field in the first half, including four 3-pointers from Grant Spacciapolli. Seneca Valley managed just three makes from the field during that span and didn’t notch one until 4:44 had passed.
Prior to their five-game skid, the Raiders had won 10 in a row.
“The fact that we had that middle stretch where we played good should give us some confidence going in,” Trost said. “We just need to somehow turn it around and get back to playing good basketball. ... I mean, are we disappointed that we’ve lost five in a row? Absolutely. But that’s in the past now, right?”
Seneca Valley now awaits its playoff opponent. Trost hopes to return to the identity that worked.
“I think when we were playing really well, we were really defending,” Trost said. “We were defending and rebounding. I would say probably over the last five games, that’s probably the thing. ... We need to get back to guarding, rebounding and really just being fundamentally sound.”
The Raiders were out-rebounded 26-17 against Pine-Richland. The 30-point gap ties for their largest margin of defeat this season.
“I think momentum is huge,” Petcash said. “But I think that Coach Trost is a great coach. I think they’re going to do really well in the playoffs.”
PINE-RICHLAND 64
Emery Moye 7 4-4 18, Grant Spacciapolli 5 2-2 16, Zach Kenny 5 1-2 11, Alex Kastner 2 0-0 5, Eli Catalano 1 1-2 3, Nathan Natali 1 0-0 3, Eli Wentz 1 0-0 3, Alex Bywalksi 1 1-2 3, Nico Aiello 1 0-0 2. Totals: 24 9-12 64.
SENECA VALLEY 34
Owen Congdon 2 5-6 9, Nico Santapau 3 0-0 8, Tyler Pepin 2 2-2 7, Jacob Olkowski 2 0-0 5, Andrew Omasits 0 2-4 2, Bryson Valentovish 1 0-0 2, Ryan Priester 0 1-2 1. Totals: 10 10-14 34.
Pine-Richland 22 18 10 14 — 64
Seneca Valley 5 10 7 12 — 34
3-point goals: Pine-Richland 7 (Spacciapolli 4, Kastner, Natali, Wentz); Seneca Valley 4 (Santapau 2, Pepin, Olkowski)
