Mt. Lebanon builds up steam with upset of Seneca Valley

By: Kyle Dawson
Friday, September 27, 2024 | 11:54 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Coming into an important Week 5 contest, the winless Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils were searching for offense. Through five games, the Blue Devils were averaging 10 points and coming off a home overtime loss to fellow Class 6A team Canon-McMillan.

It started up front as the Blue Devils stayed home to host No. 4 Seneca Valley, and it was pretty much all Mt. Lebanon from the jump in a 32-8 Mt. Lebanon win.

Using a steady dose of the run and some quick hitters from junior quarterback Patrick Smith in the aerial game, Mt. Lebanon got its first victory under first-year coach Greg Perry to move to 1-5 and 1-2 in Class 6A play.

“We’re trying to put things together with their third staff in three years,” Perry said. “Last week we did some good things and couldn’t pull it in. We worked on the basic fundamentals of some things. We know Pat is a weapon, and he showed it tonight.”

Patrick Smith and Kris Kambitsis were the bell cows as the Blue Devils opened the game with a 7-minute, 1-second scoring drive that saw 14 plays from scrimmage and ended with a 6-yard Kambitsis run.

Smith touchdown runs of 12 and 39 yards in the second quarter yielded a 19-0 lead to the break at Mt. Lebanon Stadium. Smith ended up with 207 yards on 26 totes, with 126 yards on 18 carries in the first half.

“Our offense runs through him,” Perry said. “Whether we’re throwing it or running it, he’s 210 pounds and 6-foot-2 and can run away from people if he gets the opening.”

While the Blue Devils dominated the trenches and ran at will, Seneca Valley (1-4, 1-1) managed one first down in the first half. Tailback Cayden Parker tossed a 33-yard pass to Kyle Mancing about midway through the quarter. Other than that, Seneca Valley struggled.

“We have to be able to get off the field. We had them third and long on that first series, didn’t get the stop and it waterfalled a little bit,” Seneca Valley coach Ron Butschle said. “I thought we came in with a good plan offensively, but they stuffed it and by that time we were down three scores. We just didn’t move the ball.”

Seneca Valley marched down the field on the opening drive of the second half. Using a good bit ofParker, the Raiders capped the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run by Parker and completed a 2-point conversion pass from Andrew Loebig to Adam Gehm, making it 19-8.

The Raiders then forced a quick punt, but a second interception from Loebig turned the tide. Parker ended the day with 18 attempts for 88 yards and the score.

Smith added two more touchdown runs, the first on the opening play of the final stanza, a 76-yarder. He added a 5-yard run to paydirt later in the frame, bringing the game to its final score.

Smith ended up 8 for 11 through the air for 133 yards including a 71-yard go ball and run to Billy Robertson down the sideline that nearly scored.

The Raiders head home for a conference matchup next week with Canon-Mac looking to right the ship a bit at 1-1 in 6A play. The Raiders have the Big Macs, Hempfield, Central Catholic and North Allegheny left on the schedule in a four-qualifier conference.

“We’re still not physically there yet,” Butschle said. “We have to figure out a way to effectively throw the ball when we need to. We’re just going to keep at the running game, and we need to create opportunities for ourselves.”

The Blue Devils host North Allegheny next week before playing out of 6A against Penn Hills in Week 7. The regular season wraps with conference games against Hempfield and Norwin, which seemingly will be big for the Blue Devils’ playoff hopes.

But for now, Perry said they’ll enjoy the win and get back to work.

“I feel so good for the kids. This senior class has been through it. Last week was heartbreaking,” Perry said. “The kids needed a win. We’ve been working them hard since March … they’re resilient. It’s just, how much can you ask them to keep going when you have a zero in that (win) column? We’re going to savor this one, but we have the two-time defending champion coming next week so we’ve got work to do.”

Tags: Mt. lebanon, Seneca Valley