Big second half lifts Ramblers over Butler, 40-14
BUTLER TWP —Tied at halftime with Butler Friday night at Art Bernardi Stadium, Cathedral Prep’s football team went searching for a momentum-changer.
The Rambers found one.
A pooch kickoff to begin the third quarter bounced around deep in Butler territory before Cathedral Prep’s Dayjoure Hollingsworth fell on the ball at the Golden Tornado 11-yard line. He scored on the next play.
Three more touchdowns followed for the visitors as the Ramblers (6-2) ran away for a 40-14 victory over Butler (4-4). The game was tied at 14 at the intermission.
The Tornado dropped their third straight game.
“Our return guys just weren’t on the same page on that one,” Butler coach Eric Christy said. “We were stunned by that play. Before we could recover, they stuck it in our end zone.”
Ramblers coach Mike Krahe said his team “has a number of different kickoffs we work on. We thought we saw something that might work for us on that kick and the ball bounced in our favor.”
The PAT was no good and Cathedral Prep had a 20-14 edge. Butler took possession near midfield and drove to the Ramblers 12 with a chanced to take the lead. After getting sacked on first down from there, however, Mac Schnur’s pass into the end zone was intercepted by Tay Pierce.
The Ramblers followed with a 7-play, 80-yard scoring drive and the game was turned in their favor.
“I was pleased with the way we came out and took control,” Krahe said of the second half.
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Butler #2 Dashawn Cox grabs to tackle Cathedral Prep #4 Wakeem Page in a non conference game at Art Bernardi Stadium in Butler Twp on Friday October 14 2022. Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle 10/14/22
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Butler #2 Dashawn Cox finds a hole in the Cathedral Prep defense in a non conference game at Art Bernardi Stadium in Butler Twp on Friday October 14 2022. Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle 10/14/22
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Butler #2 Dashawn Cox fights off Cathedral Prep #6 Tay Pierce in a non conference game at Art Bernardi Stadium in Butler Twp on Friday October 14 2022. Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle 10/14/22
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Butler #9 Mac Schnur looks to pass but decides to keep it and run against Cathedral Prep in a non conference game at Art Bernardi Stadium in Butler Twp on Friday October 14 2022. Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle 10/14/22
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Butler assistant coach Bill Elliot celebrates a fumble recovering against Cathedral Prep in a non conference game at Art Bernardi Stadium in Butler Twp on Friday October 14 2022. Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle 10/14/22
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Butler #28 Landon Lacey celebrates a turnover against Cathedral Prep in a non conference game at Art Bernardi Stadium in Butler Twp on Friday October 14 2022. Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle 10/14/22
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Butler #15 Cooper Mctighe blocks a field goal against Cathedral Prep in a non conference game at Art Bernardi Stadium in Butler Twp on Friday October 14 2022. Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle 10/14/22
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Butler’s Braylon Littlejohn (5) makes a touchdown catch past Cathedral Prep’s Wakeem Page (4) in a non-conference game at Art Bernardi Stadium in Butler Township on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022. Butler lost 14-40. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler Youth football players runs out of the tunnel before the Butler vs Cathedral Prep in a non conference game at Art Bernardi Stadium in Butler Twp on Friday October 14 2022. Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle 10/14/22
Hollingsworth had 19 carries for 200 yards on the night, including scoring runs of 11, 56 and 1 yard. Luke Costello threw for 169 yards and three touchdowns, finding Camariyon Bridges from 31 yards out and hitting Damario Crawford with scoring strikes of 26 and 14 yards.
“He’s our back-up running back,” Krahe said of Hollingsworth. “Our starter (Suhtahn Lewis) is out with an injury and is more of a speed guy. Dayjoure is a power runner.”
The Tornado had some highlights of their own.
Schnur threw for 224 yards, including touchdown passes of 3 yards to Declan Dobson and 28 yards to Braylon Littlejohn in the first half. Cathedral Prep fumbled a snap inside its own 20 on the game’s first series of plays, setting up Butler for a 19-yard drive and a 7-0 lead.
Schnur’s touchdown pass to Littlejohn occurred with 25 seconds left in the half and knotted the game. Butler generated 20 first downs and 325 yards of offense Friday night.
“We’re at the point where we’re playing well at home and responding to the challenge of good competition here,” Christy said. “The team we had out there tonight did not look like the team we had on the field last week (39-6 loss at Westinghouse).
“We had a good week of practice and that’s a credit to these kids.”
The Tornado blcked a 42-yard field goal attempt by Cole Constable in the first half. Constable’s 32-yard field goal try at the end of the half sailed wide left. Butler also forced three turnovers as Terrell Holderman recovered a fumble and Landon Lacey intercepted a pass.
Butler turned the ball over on downs three times in Cathedral Prep territory — at the 29 and 38 in the first half, at the 12-yard line in the second.
“We just couldn’t finish ... and they hit us with some big plays,” Christy said. “I thought Mac made some good decisions with the ball. He progressed as a quarterback tonight and that’s a good thing.”
Littlejohn caught eight passes for 96 yards, Dashawn Cox nine passes for 83 for Butler.
The Tornado play at home again next Friday, hosting McDowell at 7 p.m.
Cath. Prep 7 7 12 14 — 40
Butler 7 7 0 0 — 14
First Quarter
B — Declan Dobson 3 pass from Mac Schnur (Max Gianneski kick), 8:51
CP — Camariyon Bridges 31 pass from Luke Costello (Cole Constable kick), 4:11
Second Quarter
CP — Damario Crawford 26 pass from Costello (Constable kick), 8:55
B — Braylon Littlejohn 28 pass from Schnur (Gianneski kick), :25
Third Quarter
CP — Dayjoure Hollingsworth 11 run (kick failed), 11:50
CP — Crawford 14 pass from Costello (pass failed), 5:26
Fourth Quarter
CP — Hollingsworth 56 run (Constable kick), 11:51
CP — Hollingsworth 1 run (Constable kick), 5:57
Individual Statistics
Rushing: Cathedral Prep, Dayjoure Hollingsworth 19-200, Wakeem Page 3-26, TEAM 1-(-4), Janarie Johnson 3-7. Butler, Mac Schnur 10-11, Dashawn Cox 12-48, David Graef 3-18, Landon Lacey 7-19, Braylon Littlejohn 3-10, TEAM 1-(-9), Zane Summerville 1-4, JunJun Andrada 1-0.
Passing: Cathedral Prep, Luke Costello 12-24-169-1. Butler, Mac Schnur 23-37-224-2.
Receiving: Cathedral Prep, Damario Crawford 5-71, Camariyon Bridges 3-53, Wakeem Page 3-31, Dayjoure Hollingsworth 1-12. Butler, Braylon Littlejohn 8-96, Declan Dobson 3-30, David Graef 1-10, Dashawn Cox 9-83, Ryan McLister 1-9, Landon Lacey 1-(-4).
