Seneca Valley Football Hosts State Champion NA Tonight

If recent results count, expect plenty of scoring and loads of first downs when defending WPIAL and state champ North Allegheny visits Seneca Valley in a key Class AAAA Northern Seven Conference matchup at 7:30 tonight.

The NexTier Stadium scoreboard operator could be the busiest person in the press box, considering Seneca Valley has outscored opponents by a combined 179-56 after four games this season.

The Raiders (3-1, 0-1) will try to keep the momentum going against a North Allegheny offense that leads the WPIAL in scoring at 44.8 points per game.

North Allegheny (4-0, 2-0) has scored 49 points or more in three of its opening victories and showed no signs of slowing in last week’s 49-14 win over Erie McDowell.

Seneca Valley ranks third in the league in total points with 41.3.

Both teams feature junior quarterbacks who rank among the WPIAL leaders.

Seneca Valley’s Jordan Brown leads the league with 847 passing yards. He has completed 47 of 84 passes, including eight touchdowns.

Last week in a Brown completed 8 of 16 passes for 173 yards and ran for a touchdown. He has 270 yards rushing this season to rank second on the team.

North Allegheny quarterback Mack Leftwich is right behind Brown with 767 yards passing including seven scoring passes. Leftwich ranks fifth in the WPIAL among passing yardage leaders.

Seneca Valley’s balanced offensive attack includes a solid ground game led by junior running back Forrest Barnes. Barnes stands 23rd in the WPIAL in rushing yards with 486 yards and six touchdowns in 69 carries for an average of seven yards per run.

“It’s one of those things where (Barnes) has to get opportunities to touch the ball, because he’s always productive when he gets the ball,” Seneca Valley first-year coach Don Holl said.

The Raiders will attempt to end the Tigers’ eight-game winning streak in the series. North Allegheny claimed last year’s matchup, 47-10, and the previous three games by scores of 37-0, 56-14, and 43-14.

Seneca Valley has forced the issue on offense all season, starting within the season opener and in another non-conference game three weeks ago.

Two weeks ago, Seneca Valley opened conference play with a in a game that almost went into overtime in the final minute and was a lot closer than the score indicated.

Nothern Seven Conference play resumes when Seneca Valley travels to Pine-Richland (1-3, 1-1) on Oct. 7.