Penn-Trafford never seemed to get untracked during its playoff opener Saturday afternoon. Constricting play led to little flow in the pass-and-go game, and unsatisfying possessions ultimately spelled frustration.
The lack of momentum made a small deficit seem much greater than what it was, and the No. 8-seeded Warriors suffered a 2-0 loss to No. 9 Butler in a WPIAL Class AAAA first-round game at Norwin.
The Warriors (11-4-2) felt suffocated, unable to spread the field and attack like they normally do, as Butler (14-5) gunged up the field.
“(Butler) kept eight guys behind the ball and clogged up space,” Penn-Trafford coach Rick Nese said. “They got one quality opportunity (in the first half) and capitalized on it.”
Penn-Trafford was seeking a second consecutive trip to the quarterfinals. Butler moves on to face No. 1 Peters Township (15-0-1) on Wednesday at a time and site to be determined.
Butler has won five consecutive games, outscoring those teams by a combined 21-2.
Butler coach Troy Mohney said his team sat back with the lead. The approach worked, but he wanted more shots on goal. The Golden Tornado had only six shots.
“I don't think we responded well (to the first goal),” he said. “We stopped playing the way we can and tried to play defensive for the next 71 minutes.
“That said, I don't think we gave up many quality scoring chances.”
Both goals were scored by senior midfielder Justin Stewart.
Butler took a 1-0 lead into halftime on a goal that might have been more Penn-Trafford's liability than the Golden Tornado's attacking. A pair of defenders closed out on Stewart, who managed to knock a header between them — and past Warriors' junior keeper Logan Kreutzberger — for the early advantage.
The score came nine minutes in.
“They swarmed (Warriors leading scorer Austin Kreutzberger),” Nese said. “Kiski Area played this way against us earlier this year. It's tough to solve. You have to be tremendously sound.”
And patient. But with chances dwindling and space shrinking around them, the Warriors had to press at times.
Stewart struck again in the 60th minute, blasting a shot to the right of Kreutzberger for a 2-0 lead.
“That was huge,” Mohney said. “They were pushing a lot of bodies forward on us at that point.”
Senior keeper Andrew Chwalik made nine saves for Butler, and Logan Kreutzberger collected four saves for the Warriors.
“It's tough because we lost and the season is over,” Nese said. “But we lost to a very respectable opponent.”
Butler benefitted from the return of senior defender Tyler Rankin, who missed three games with an injury.
Emery Douthett and Luca Fusca had assists for the Golden Tornado.
