Sure, the Seneca Valley softball team would have preferred to add to its magical season by winning the WPIAL Class AAAA championship game last Thursday -- the Raiders lost, 5-1, to Greater Latrobe -- but a one-loss regular season with a WPIAL championship game appearance is pretty sweet.

There will be a rematch today in the PIAA second round, with Seneca Valley and Latrobe meeting at 2 p.m. at Kennedy Township's Fairhaven Park.

"I don't think anyone expected us to get there when the season started," Raiders coach George Trew said. "So I think it's been a pretty good season so far. But we're not done."

Indeed, the Raiders clobbered City League champion Brashear, 12-1, in the first round of the PIAA tournament Monday.

Seneca Valley had been an above-average team in recent seasons -- this year's seniors had gone 38-22 from their freshman through junior campaigns -- but the ascension to a Section 3-AAAA championship and 17-1 regular-season record was a welcome breakthrough.

Two key components to that accomplishment are seniors Nicole Lollo and Lauren Pennell. Lollo, who will play at Clarion next season, was hitting .429 with 22 RBIs through the WPIAL playoffs.

"She's a tremendous third baseman, too," Trew said.

Pennell, who will attend Grove City College next year and also served as the Raiders' No. 3 hitter, was 14-2 with a 1.40 ERA.

"She places the ball really well," Trew said. "Moves it around, throws different pitches, keeps the batter off balance."

Hampton

When the seven seniors on the Hampton softball team were freshmen in 2004, the Talbots were a program searching for an identity, struggling to compete.

Talbots coach Ron Fedell said Hampton had earned only one WPIAL playoff berth in school history and had never qualified for the PIAA postseason before that. The Talbots bowed out of the PIAA playoffs in the first round Monday, losing to Corry, 4-1.

In the past three years, however, Hampton has established itself to a point not many other teams can say they were WPIAL semifinalists and PIAA tournament participants twice in three years.

"There's still work to be done," said Fedell, referring to yet-elusive WPIAL or PIAA championships.

Lis Shultz, Kelsey King, Ashley Simakas are four-year starters, with Jill Dukovich, Amanda McGaughy, Jamie Kurnak and Lauren Isherwood other seniors who have played significant roles in Hampton's success.

They have been the constants in the recent renaissance of Hampton softball.

"They are a good bunch of kids," Fedell said. "They took the younger players under their wings. Hopefully, that will carry over into next year."

Schultz, who allowed only two runs and 11 hits in four WPIAL playoff games, is headed to Westminster next year. King also could play in college.

Vincentian

Pete Scanga is the man in charge of the Vincentian softball program as its head coach, but the Royals are about five years into what could turn out to be a Melvin Dynasty.

Five Melvin sisters have played, are playing or figure to soon be playing on the Vincentian varsity softball team, one that has played in the WPIAL Class A championship game two years in a row.

Altogether, that could ultimately mean 11 consecutive seasons of at least one -- and usually more -- Melvins playing a significant role for the Royals.

"They're all very serious about softball," Scanga said.

The Royals were 8-3 winners over Homer-Center Tuesday and advance to the second round today against Curwensville; site details were unavailable at press time.

Casey Melvin graduated last year after a spectacular career at Vincentian that included more than 800 strikeouts as a pitcher. Trish Melvin -- Casey's catcher the previous two seasons -- led the WPIAL in strikeouts this season.

Younger sister Nina, a freshman, kept the battery an all-Melvin affair by taking over as the starting catcher.