WEST VIEW — Longtime head coach Jack McCurry is gone.

North Hills High School football remains the same.

Pat Carey, McCurry's defensive coordinator for years, took the reins as head coach last year and guided the Indians to the WPIAL playoffs. He has North Hills off to a 2-0 start this season.

“Our line play is where it starts,” Carey said. “We've got three starters back on the offensive line and there's some size there.”

North Hills has defeated Fox Chapel 35-7 and Plum 17-14 thus far, getting off to a 17-0 lead in the latter game before hanging on. The Indians host Butler (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Martorelli Stadium.

Returning tackles Jake Buccigrossi (6-foot-4, 280 pounds) and Zach Sammartino (6-4, 275) anchor the line along with right guard Adam Hofmeister (5-8, 233).

North Hills returns six starters offensively, five defensively overall. The most important returnee may be senior quarterback Jake Bruder.

Bruder was lost for the season in Week 3 of last year when he suffered a broken fibula and torn tendons in an ankle. Wide receiver Kindhal Taylor replaced him behind center.

“The Butler game was Kindhal's first game at quarterback,” Carey recalled. “He's our main target at receiver, so we're a better team having him at that position now that Jake is back. He's very good speed-wise and skill-wise.

“It's a big difference, having Bruder at quarterback. He runs our offense very well and he's a tremendous leader of that unit.”

Bruder threw for 213 yards in two games before his injury last year.

Bruder tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Wagner against Plum last week. Running back Andrew Bly scored on a 50-yard run and Jake Seiler booted a 38-yard field goal.

“Bly has tremendous speed and is effective in mis-direction with our offense,” Carey said. “He's played a lot of corner for us on defense and is a starter there. This is the first time we've really gotten him involved on the offensive side of the ball.”

Defensively, the Indians are led by senior linebackers Alex Carmody and Alec Thomas.

North Hills has not lost to Butler since dropping a 28-20 decision at Art Bernardi Stadium in 2000. McCurry missed that game due to kidney stones. Carey stepped in as head coach that night.

And he's taking nothing for granted now.

“I like our team, but all we have to do is look at Butler's game tape from last week to realize that's a pretty good football team,” Carey said.

“This is a conference game that's every bit as important as any other conference game. That running back (Damien Pickett) is impressive and their team brings a lot of energy.”

Carey is also impressed with the Golden Tornado's set of linebackers.

“They're active and they're good,” he said. “They have an active defensive front and their free safety (Reid Werth) is very good. That head coach is doing a good job.”