SV Lacrosse Team Wins WPIAL Championship, Readies for Next Opponent

It’s only been a few days since the Seneca Valley boys lacrosse team were named WPIAL champions, but they’ve already got their eye on the next matchup.

“It’s going to be a good game for us,” promised .

The Raiders tonight take on Mt. Lebanon in the first round on the PIAA playoffs. The game will be played at 7 p.m. at North Allegheny High School’s Tiger Stadium.

On Friday, the team beat Shady Side Academy by a score of 8-5 to claim the WPIAL Division 1 boys lacrosse title. Despite coming close last year, this is the first time —which entered the tournament as the second-seeded team—has won the championship.

“It’s definitely been the goal every year for some time,” Poillon said Tuesday. “This is the first year we’ve gotten the program over the hump.”

After brief celebration, the team is focused on winning the next game. Poillon notes the 14-6 Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils were the only team to beat the 17-1 Raiders in the regular season.

Just call it a revenge matchup.

“It’s always good to battle the other best teams,” Poillon said.

Now in his second year as head coach, Poillon, a Seneca Valley graduate, credited senior Dave Hall, a team captain, Wendell Frank, a junior midfielder, and Brendan Thomas, a senior midfielder and also a captain, for contributing to the team’s winning season.

On the defensive side, Poillon paid kudos to senior captain Steve Kraynik and goalie Jacob Succop, another senior captain.

He added the talented team as a whole executed plays and conducted themselves in a disciplined manner throughout the season.

He expects more of the same next year—and doesn’t count out another WPIAL championship. 

“It was great senior class a far as leadership is concerned,” Poillon said. “We also have lot of good, talented underclassmen. It all comes down to how the team gels on the field and a willingness to work hard.”