TRIB TOTAL MEDIA • 11
ETHAN WEST
DUSTIN HORN
Coach: Ron Butschle
2019 record: 4-7, 4-4
All-time record: 252-295-11
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 at North Allegheny* ppd
9.18 at Hempfield* 7
9.25 Norwin* 7:30
10.2 Central Catholic* 7:30
10.9 at Canon-McMillan* 7
10.16 Baldwin* 7:30
10.23 Mt. Lebanon* 7:30
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Gabe Lawson*
102-193, 1,404 yards, 8 TDs
Rushing: Ethan West
75-516 yards, 5 TDs
Receiving: Ethan West
17-256 yards
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• This is Ron Butschle’s fourth
year in his second stint at
Seneca Valley. He also coached
the Raiders for five years from
2004-08.
• Seneca Valley finished .500
in the 6A regular season last
year with a 4-4 mark. The
team was 0-2 in non-conference
games with losses to
McDowell and Woodland Hills
and a 35-14 loss to Mt. Lebanon
in the 6A quarterfinals.
• Absent from Seneca Valley’s
schedule is Butler after the
school decided to go independent
and not play in the
WPIAL in 2020. The Raiders
won 13 straight against their
county rivals and outscored
the Golden Tornado 127-0 in
their last three wins.
SENECA VALLEY OUT
TO EVEN THE SCORE
Since the expansion to six classifications
throughout the state four years ago, even years
have been very good for the Seneca Valley
football program.
In 2016, Seneca Valley finished 8-4 and defeated
Mt. Lebanon and North Allegheny in
the playoffs to reach the first WPIAL Class 6A
championship game. There the Raiders lost to
Central Catholic, 42-7.
In 2018, SV ended up 9-4 with postseason
victories over Central Catholic and North Allegheny
before falling to Pine-Richland in the
district title game, 34-7.
In 2017 and 2019 combined, the Raiders finished
7-13 in the regular season and 0-1 in the
WPIAL playoffs.
This fall, it’s time for Seneca Valley to get
even.
The WPIAL’s only Class 6A team from Butler
County finished 4-7 last season, losing to Mt.
Lebanon, 35-14, in the quarterfinals of the
district playoffs.
“I don’t think that anyone in our program
was satisfied with the way we finished last
year,” Seneca Valley coach Ron Butschle said.
“We had opportunities to beat Central Catholic
and Mt. Lebanon during the regular season
and let both games slip out of our hands. We
went into our playoff game with Lebo with an
opportunity to go back to their field and win a
big game, and we did not do it.”
Seneca Valley moves into a new season with a
new quarterback after the graduation of Gabe
Lawson, who threw for 1,404 yards and rushed
for over 300 yards in 2019.
“Gabe was a big part of our offense for three
years,” Butschle said. “His experience will be
missed.”
Senior Dustin Horn will take over at QB for
the Raiders.
“Dustin Horn has been a great teammate and
leader behind Gabe for the past two years,”
Butschle said. “He knows our offense and is
more than capable of running it successfully.”
The Raiders’ leader in rushing and receiving
from a year ago returns. Senior Ethan West
averaged nearly 7 yards per carry and over 15
yards per reception last season despite missing
time with an injury. He has several college
offers, including one from Army.
“We lost Ethan West in Week 9 last year to
an injury and we were without him for our
playoff game,” Butschle said. “He has used that
disappointment to motivate him this offseason
and has come back bigger, stronger, faster and
highly motivated. Teams will have to deal with
a heavy dose of him from all over the field.”
Seneca Valley has six starters back on offense
and seven on defense. Those returning starters
bring back a wealth of experience.
Offensive lineman Don Kreisberg and defensive
back Cole Mrkonja are three-year starters
while linemen Jim Royal, Josh Miller,
Chase Nething and Alex Johnson, defensive
backs Connor Lyczek and James Sprentz and
linebacker Mitchell Curran are all two-year
starters.
“I am excited about the opportunity we
have as a team to improve,” Butschle said. “I
have seen this senior class work very hard to
get better. They are a close group, and I know
they have set goals for themselves as a group
of leaders.”
Two teams are gone from 6A while Baldwin
moves up in class in the latest WPIAL football
realignment. Seneca Valley loses traditional
6A opponents Butler and Pine-Richland in
conference play.
“We still have an opportunity to compete
with Pine in an exhibition game and we will
miss our rivalry with Butler,” Butschle said.
“Baldwin will be rebuilding with a new staff
and I am sure will have renewed enthusiasm in
their program. (Class) 6A is a grind every week.
We feel that we will compete to be a top team.”
by DON REBEL
SENECA VALLEY • CLASS 6A