BUTLER TWP — Butler is looking for the proper way to finish. McDowell may just be getting started.

The Golden Tornado football team (2-6) takes a five-game losing streak to McDowell (5-3) on Friday night, the Trojans having won three in a row. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

“We want to take care of our seniors these last couple of games, send them out on a high note,” Butler coach Eric Christy said. “This will be the last time most of those kids will be playingg football and we want to get them on the field.

“Our underclassmen will play, too, of course, but they also have JV games on Saturday where they can see action.”

McDowell has defeated Cathedral Prep (23-13), Meadville (52-13) and winless Dohn Community (49-18) in its past three games. The Trojans began the season losing three of five games.

“We played some tough teams early and had five or six starters out of the lineup then,” Trojans coach Bo Orlando said. “We’ve since gotten healthy. The Prep game was probably the best we’ve played all season.”

McDowell has defeated Butler five times in the past three seasons, winning by scores of 40-21 and 62-7 in the playoffs, 4-7, 38-21 and 48-24 in the regular season.

“We’ve held our own against them in some of those games,” Christy said. “Bo Orlando and I have built a good relationship with each other over these last few years. He’s a quality person and I’ve enjoyed getting to know him.

“We’ve shared ideas on football and other things ... The bowling fund-raiser we did last year, that idea came from him.”

Butler has settled on junior Alec Teff at quarterback. He’s completed 24 of 61 passes for 199 yards in limited action. Braylon Littlejohn continues to lead the Tornado with 418 yards rushing. He’s also thrown for 319 yards and caught seven passes for 117.

Landon Lacey has rushed for 230 yards and four TDs, caught 17 passes for 167 and two scores. David Graef has 412 combined yards rushing and receiving, but missed last week’s 54-7 loss at Cathedral Prep due to a concussion.

They’ve used Littlejohn in a variety of ways and we’ll have to be wary of how they use him against us,“ Orlando said.

Terrell Holderman is Butler’s Lineman of the Week. He leads the team with 42 tackles and four quarterback sacks.He nosed out center A.J. Baker for this week’s honor.

“Really, we could give it to both of those guys all the time,” Christy said. “They’ve been consistent hard workers and leaders of this team.”

While Littlejohn is headed to Miami of Ohio for college football, Holderman, Graef, Keegan Bracken and Matt McCombs are other Tornado seniors looking to play college football.

Blayze Myers, a first-year starter at quarterback, triggers McDowell’s offense. He’s thrown for 1,544 yards and 20 touchdowns through seven games and has five receivers between 14 and 22 catches, four of those covering more than 200 yards each.

“We believe we have a balanced attack,” Orlando said. “Our top running back, Bobby Blue,got hurt in Week 1 and is just now getting back, but other guys have stepped up in his place.”

Stephon Porter has 376 yards and five TDs rushing, 22 catches for 226 yards in the passing game. Dom Berarducci has 324 yards and two TDs on the ground, 17 catches for 141 yards and three TDs through the air.

Defensively, McDowell is led by end Aiden Probst, linebacker-safety Berarducci and cornerback James Zigler Jr.

“Butler is better than their record shows,” Orlando said. “They run a lot of different sets. We have to be prepared for everything because we may see anything.”