Too many mistakes cost Butler football in season opening loss to Shaler
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Butler cheerleaders talk before a game against Shaler in a PIAA high school football season opener Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Robert McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Jacob Kollinger runs with the football against Shaler in a PIAA high school football season opener Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Robert McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler football runs out onto the field before taking on Shaler in a PIAA high school football season opener Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Robert McGraw/Butler Eagle
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An official walks to midfield for the opening coin toss between Butler and Shaler in a PIAA high school football season opener Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Robert McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler quarterback Alec Teff fires a pass against Shaler in a PIAA high school football season opener Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Robert McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Tyson Pino attempts an interception against Shaler during the first half of a PIAA high school football season opener game against the Shaler Titans on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle 08/23/24
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Butler’s Nicholas Baggetta throws the ball as he is tackled by a Shaler player during a PIAA high school football season opener game against the Shaler Titans on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle 08/23/24
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Butler Quarterback Alec Teff passes the ball to Mark Klemz during a PIAA high school football season opener game against the Shaler Titans on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle 08/23/24
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Butler quarterback Tyson Pino looks for an opening to pass during a PIAA high school football season opener game against the Shaler Titans on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle 08/23/24
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Jacob Kollinger runs the ball for Butler during a PIAA high school football season opener game against the Shaler Titans on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle 08/23/24
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Jacon Kollinger is tackled while attempting to score against Shaler during a PIAA high school football season opener game on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle 08/23/24
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Younger football players run out on the field with the Butler varsity players in a PIAA high school football season opener game on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle 08/23/24
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Camouflage was the theme for the Butler student section in a PIAA high school football season opener game on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle 08/23/24
BUTLER TWP — Butler football didn’t run out of effort. It did run out of time.
Two fourth-quarter touchdowns by the Golden Tornado cut into a 20-point deficit, but Shaler held on for a 20-14 victory in Friday night’s season opener at Art Bernardi Stadium.
“The effort was there. Mistakes hurt us earlier,” Butler coach Eric Christy said.
Butler trailed 20-0 early in the fourth quarter and faced a third-and-8 at its own 27-yard line. Jacob Kollinger took a handoff, broke free off-tackle and rambled 73 yards for the Tornado’s first score of the night.
After Shaler went three-and-out, the Tornado threatened again. A mishandled snap on first down from the Titans’ 11 resulted in a 12-yard loss, however, and quarterback Alec Teff’s pass into the end zone on fourth down from the 11 was intercepted by Joe Rispoli.
Butler got the ball back one more time, driving 67 yards in nine plays, Ethan Deless scored on a 6-yard run, but only 47 seconds remained. Shaler easily received the ensuing onside kick, and the issue was decided.
“We began to cramp late in the game,” Shaler coach Jim Ryan said. “Guys were caught out of position. ... We got out of here with a win. That’s the important thing, but, no, not the way we wanted to finish.”
The Titans had a 3-0 lead at halftime as Riley Douglas booted a 35-yard field goal with 4:21 left in the half. The Tornado missed a pair of scoring opportunities in the opening half, turning the ball over on downs at the Shaler 14 early in the second period and inside the 5 following a completed pass as time expired in the half.
Nicholas Baggetta’s interception — returning the ball inside the Shaler 15 — set up the first opportunity.
Christy stayed away from field goal attempts on both occasions.
“That phase of our game just isn’t there yet,” he said. “I felt our chances were better to try to stick the ball in the end zone.
“We moved the ball well tonight. We showed a lot of promise. Again, mistakes are what hurt us.”
Butler mistakes in the punt game set up a pair of Titan scores in the third quarter. Baggetta was forced to throw the ball away before he could punt early in the third quarter. Shaler put together a 29-yard scoring drive as a result, capped by Rispoli’s 1-yard run. Rispoli had 15 carries for 115 yards on the night.
The Tornado fumbled away a punt inside their 15 late in the quarter, setting up a 36-yard Douglas field goal.
Rispoli threw 10 passes in the first half before becoming a fixture in Shaler’s power running game the rest of the night.
“We knew we had that in our back pocket and it worked for us,” Ryan said of the ground game.
Teff, injured most of last season, threw for 188 yards. Kollinger ran for 128, and Preston Simko caught nine passes for 102 yards.
“Our offensive line was great. I was hardly touched tonight,” Teff said. “Everybody gave 100% for four quarters, right to the end. I’m excited about what our team can do.”
Butler hosts Brashear at 7 p.m. next Friday.
Shaler 0 3 10 7 — 20
Butler 0 0 0 14 — 14
Second Quarter
S — Riley Douglas 25 field goal, 4:21
Third Quarter
S — Joe Rispoli 1 run (Douglas kick), 5:40
S — Douglas 29 field goal, :36
Fourth Quarter
S — Rispoli 41 run (Douglas kick), 11:39
B — Jacob Kollinger 73 run (Alex Fulmer kick), 10:37
B — Ethan Deless 6 run (Fulmer kick), :47
Individual Statistics
Passing — Shaler, Joe Rispoli 4-10-43-1, Max Wiley 1-3-2-0. Butler, Alec Teff 21-41-188-1.
Rushing — Shaler, Joe Rispoli 15-115, Isaac McKay 3-4, Braylon Ronel 10-7, Jayden Conrad 3-12, Aaron Aversa 1-5. Butler, Mark Klemz -33, TEAM 3-(-30), Evan Reinsel 2-3, Jacob Kollinger 9-128, Ethan Deless 1-6.
Receiving — Shaler, Isaac McKay 1-6, Aaron Aversa 1-10, Luke Glaser 1-21, Jonathan Saban 1-6, Braylon Ronel 1-2. Butler, Jacob Kollinger 1-3, Mark Klemz 7-59, Marcus Vicari 1-7, Preston Simko 9-102, Leland Anderson 1-(-8), Quinlan Hanley 2-15.
