Golden Tornado puts up strong fight in 21-0 loss to NA
BUTLER TWP — North Allegheny has been bullying Butler on the football field for years.
Friday night, the Golden Tornado stood up to that bully.
The visiting Tigers managed only one offensive touchdown, but used a staunch run defense and punt and interception returns for scores to piece together a 21-0 victory at Art Bernardi Stadium.
“North Allegheny was complimentary to us in how physical we were and we did play them hard, but we have to start turning that effort into wins,” Butler coach Rob Densmore said.
“You can't give up big plays on special teams and turn the ball over against good teams. That hurt us last week and it hurt us again this week.”
The lone score of the first half was a 65-yard punt return by NA's Michael Pope with 3:18 left in the opening quarter. It occurred moments after the Tigers' Seth Mancuso was wide right on a 31-yard field goal attempt that ended a 14-play, 66-yard march on the game's first possession.
Densmore said the officials missed a blatant hold on the punt return.
“Their kid was holding like a champ, right out in the open,” the coach said. “I'm sorry, but that call has to be made. I asked the official about it and he wouldn't even talk to me.
“That was the only score of the half, it gave them momentum going into halftime. That was a huge part of this game.”
Butler's best scoring chance all night was set up by a 52-yard Robert Burdine kickoff return following Pope's touchdown. The Tornado ground out a pair of first downs, but Devin Fitz's 25-yard field goal try was blocked with 9:36 left in the half.
“This was definitely a scrap. It's what we expected coming in here,” Tigers coach Art Walker Jr. said. “Rob Densmore is a defensive coach and you can see his influence taking effect.”Butler (2-4, 1-3) turned the ball over four times — one on a deep pass that ended the first half — and set up NA's lone offensive score with a fumble. Layne Skundrich recovered the loose football at the Butler 15 early in the third quarter.On third-and-21 from the 26, Jeff Clemens found Matt Sell in the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown toss. Sell beat one-on-one coverage on the play.“Our kid was in position. Their kid just made a nice play on the ball to beat him,” Densmore said.Ijhad Bonner returned an interception 42 yards for the game's final score with 9:28 left. Butler never got inside the Tigers' 40 in the second half.Damien Pickett was limited to 45 yards on 22 carries. Both teams netted only 91 yards rushing and less than 200 yards total offense for the night.“We were able to contain their running game by recognizing tendencies and gaining penetration,” Walker said. “But we had trouble moving the ball ourselves.”Despite the loss, Butler fullback-linebacker Lucas Dubyak was encouraged by his team's play.“We hung in all night. That's the new Butler,” Dubyak said. “Obviously, we still have a ways to go. You can't be satisfied if you don't win.“They ran a lot of slants and blitzes and we didn't pick them up well enough. And we didn't hold our blocks long enough.”North Allegheny (4-2, 3-2) did not turn the ball over. Clemens recovered a teammate's fumble two plays before completing his touchdown pass.“North Allegheny is about as well-coached and disciplined as it gets in high school,” Densmore said. “They don't make mistakes. That's why you can't make mistakes against them.“They make you pay for your mistakes. That's why you just can't do it.”
