Extra work pays for Butler
BUTLER TWP — The Seneca Valley boys soccer team left the field after a great effort.
Butler walked off after yet another win.
Butler senior Wade Grubbs received a corner kick from teammate Ben Horner and found the back of the Raiders' net with only 27 seconds left in the second 10-minute overtime period, lifting the undefeated Golden Tornado to a 3-2 win over county rival SV.
Butler is 5-0 in Section 2-AAA and 9-0 overall.
"Wade is a player we count on to make plays like that," said Tornado coach Troy Mohney. "But we have a number of people who have stepped up so far this season. Tonight was Wade's turn to be the hero."
"Butler's a very good team and we knew that coming in," said SV coach George Williams. "I would've been happy with a tie. Obviously, I would have been even happier with a win."
The Tornado's final goal came just minutes after SV goalie Mike Stevens went all-out to keep his team in it.
In the 16th minute of overtime, Grubbs put a shot on goal that was headed just inside the right post. Stevens dove to his left and was fully extended when he made the save.
A minute later, Stevens again stonewalled Grubbs before leaping to make a save on a shot from Butler's Doug Moran at 1:58.
Stevens ended the night with 20 saves.
"It's funny," said Williams. "I'm standing here watching him make all of those saves in overtime and thinking, 'OK, Butler isn't going to score again.'
"Butler could've ended the game much earlier if it wasn't for Mike," Williams added.
After a scoreless first half, Seneca Valley (2-2, 4-4) found itself down by a goal twice before tying the game both times.
Following Grubbs' first goal of the game — just 1:08 into the second half — SV senior midfielder A.J. Anderson got to a rebound off of Butler goalkeeper Zeke O'Donnell and headed in the Raiders first goal.
After Kevin McCune scored to put the Tornado back on top with 17:41 left in regulation, Seneca Valley's Ethan Richter got control of Matt Jones' free kick and tied the game once again.
"To get scored on and come back and even it up twice, I was very pleased with our team tonight," said Williams.
"I'm happy with our effort tonight," said Mohney. "But I'm disappointed with the two goals we gave up."
The first half saw Butler manage the better scoring chances, forcing Stevens to make eight saves compared to just two by the Tornado's Tim Duffy, who gave way to O'Donnell in the second half.
O'Donnell played the rest of the way, making five saves. He needed only one stop in the 19-plus minutes of overtime.
