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Schools

Football: Seneca Valley Prepares for Season Opener Against Einstein

The Screamin' Eagles kick off the 2011 season at home, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2.

The Seneca Valley Screamin' Eagles will begin the 2011 season — and the team’s quest for its 13th state championship — against a squad that hasn’t had a winning season in more than a decade.

But Seneca head coach Fred Kim said there would be no room for complacency when Seneca hosts the Albert Einstein Titans on Friday. The Titans could be looking to start a new era by knocking off one of the top programs in the state.

"I've seen them on film and they're pretty good,” said Kim, who’s been Seneca’s head coach for eight years. “They're a solid football team. These guys aren't going to be slouches, by any stretch of the imagination."

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Last season, Seneca Valley beat Einstein 41-21. The Eagles finished their season 8-3, losing to Quince Orchard in the first round of playoffs.

The Titans, on the other hand, finished 4-6.

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But there are some changes on the horizon for this year.

Not only are several key offensive players returning for the Titans, but the team also hopes to start a fresh chapter with first-year head coach Jermaine Howell.

And to be clear, Seneca Valley hasn’t won a state title since 2002.

"I'm sure he’s preaching to those guys, ‘What better way to start this new regime than to upset Seneca Valley High School in their home stadium,’” Kim said. “We can't let that happen.”

To prepare, coach Kim said he has spent the week trying help his athletes find focus, to minimize the inevitable distractions that arise as classes resume and social activities increase.

Kim said he’s been relying on the leadership of quarterback Tanner Vallely, a senior who in 2010 started as quarterback in six games.

"He brings great game management to the table," Kim said. "He's got a great football mindset and great poise."

On Friday, Vallely's likely go-to guy will be Tre Cunningham, the team’s top returning receiver. 

But there’s still the question of who’s going to fill the running back slot in the absence of the team’s top rusher, Eddie Cunningham, who has graduated.

Kim mentioned James Jones Williams a prospect a couple of weeks ago, but Williams has been hampered by a hamstring injury.

Junior Kellen Staton or senior Darius Lewis, a transfer from Quince Orchard, might have to stand in, Kim said.

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