Butler stays motivated amid independent, no-playoff schedule

By: John Grupp
Friday, August 23, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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Pennsylvania will be a swing state in November, but Butler this fall is strictly independent.

After four seasons as an “associate member” in District 10, the Golden Tornado will play an independent schedule this season and are ineligible for the D-10 playoffs.

“Every game becomes a playoff game for us,” seventh-year coach Eric Christy said. “Every game is a build-up. Every week is a chance to prove where you are at.”

Butler will play a far-flung 10-game schedule with opponents ranging from the WPIAL and Pittsburgh’s City League to West Virginia schools and PIAA districts 6 and 10.

“Honestly, it could be a little demotivating that we don’t have something to work toward because there’s obviously no playoffs,” junior running back/linebacker Mark Klemz said. “But trying to win week by week is what we are looking to do.”

Butler’s 2024 fate was decided when the PIAA approved the school’s request to remain out of the WPIAL in football this season, citing competitive reasons in Class 6A for the struggling program. But, unlike its past four non-WPIAL seasons, Butler is ineligible for the D-10 playoffs this year because the PIAA changed its by-laws to restrict schools from competing in neighboring districts.

Senior quarterback Alec Teff, injured for most of last season, said he and his teammates are approaching this unusual scenario with a singular focus.

“We are playing every game,” he said, “as if it’s our last.”

Butler, which hasn’t had a winning season since 1997, returns a handful of starters on each side of the ball from last season’s 2-8 team.

Joining Teff on offense are senior tackle Leland Anderson, a second-team all-District 10 Region 6 selection last season; junior guard Lucas Martin and junior wide receiver Preston Simko.

The defense returns Anderson, Klemz, junior linebacker Ethan Deless, senior cornerback Quinlan Hanley, junior cornerback Marcus Vicari and Simko, a defensive back.

“Our energy from last year has improved tremendously,” Klemz said.

“It’s just been really good.”

Numbers have long been an issue at Butler, and this season saw a dip. The Golden Tornado are dressing 66 players, down from 87 last year.

But Christy is encouraged by the players who are in camp. Teff, for one, is “good as new” after missing seven games last season with a knee injury.

“It was terrible,” Teff said of the ‘23 season. “The worst part is letting down your teammates and your coaches. You wish you could be there for them. … One of the biggest things I worked on (this offseason) was timing and seeing the field and getting my footwork right.”

With a return to the WPIAL possible for ‘25, Christy continues to try to build a football culture at a school that ranks No. 3 in boys enrollment in the WPIAL.

“We’re building a little core of guys that are buying in, that are prioritizing football,” he said. “What we’ve had in the past is kids who like football as second, third and fourth on the list. We have a crew right now where football is their No. 1. It’s a small core, but it’s starting to build and that’s good.”

Butler

Coach: Eric Christy

2023 record: 2-8

All-time record: 528-479-47

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 Shaler, 7

8.30 Brashear, 7

9.6 at Meadville, 7

9.13 at Hollidaysburg, 7

9.20 Westinghouse, 7

9.27 at Connellsville, 7

10.4 at University HS (W.Va.), 7

10.10 Allderdice, 7

10.18 at Wheeling Park (W.Va.), 7

10.25 Central Clarion, 7

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Braylon Littlejohn*

31-57, 319 yards, 4 TDs

Rushing: Littlejohn*

53-418 yards, 1 TD

Receiving: Landon Lacey*

20-229 yards, 3 TDs

* Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Butler’s road schedule includes two-hour trips to Hollidaysburg and University (W.Va.) High; a 1-hour, 45-minutes to Wheeling (W.Va.) Park and an hour-and-a-half to Connellsville.

• When Butler hosts Central Clarion on Oct. 25, coach Eric Christy will be reunited with Central Clarion coach Dave Eggleton. Christy coached Eggleton as an assistant at Clarion-Limestone in the early 2000s.

• Butler went 13-24 in four seasons as a District 10 “associate member” since leaving the WPIAL in football following back-to-back 0-10 seasons in 2018-19.

• After staying home last summer, the Golden Tornado resumed their tradition of traveling during heat acclimation week, attending a four-day overnight camp at Clarion.

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