Because of numbers, Butler's boys soccer program did not field a freshman team this season.

But while the Golden Tornado may lack total numbers, they definitely have quality numbers.

Just look at the Butler Middle School team this fall.

That squad recently polished off a 13-0-3 season, outscoring the opposition by a 61-1 count. The opposing tally occurred in a 2-1 win over Hampton in the team's second game.

“Our system has always been to send our best seventh and eighth-grade players up to the freshman team,” BMS coach Mike Zirpoli, in his fifth year with the program, said. “That would affect our middle school roster every year.

“Last season, I think we won one game.”

This season, they allowed one goal.

In fact, Tornado goalkeeper Peyton Seibert outscored the opposition. He did not play in the Hampton game and scored a goal himself on a penalty kick late in the year.

“Peyton made some huge saves along the way to keep that scoreless streak alive,” Zirpoli said. “We faced North Hills and North Allegheny early in the year and won decisively ... After about our fifth game, you could see the team's confidence build.

“They knew they were good. They knew they could compete — and they fed off that scoreless streak.”

Seibert may have to wait his turn to start for the varsity. Andrew Chwalik, a sophomore, is the Tornado's varsity goalkeeper and played for the United States Region 1 ODP team at an international tournament in Spain earlier this year.

“Troy (Butler varsity coach Mohney) will have some solid goaltending for a while,” Zirpoli said.

Four seventh-graders who bumped up to the freshman team last year came back to the middle school squad. That, coupled with an influx of talented seventh-graders and returning experience, enabled the Butler team to mesh.

“A lot of these guys play club soccer together, so the familiarity was there,” Zirpoli said.

The balance showed up on the scoresheet as well. Emery Douthett led Butler with 13 goals and was the only player in double figures as 18 of the 21 players on the roster scored goals. Bryce Schoettker found the net seven times, Remy Pardo six.

Team captains were Seibert, Pardo and center-midfielder Luke Shook.

“Those guys were outstanding leaders from Day One,” Zirpoli said. “Evan Fetter is a center-back player for us and one of our stronger defenders.”

Co-coaching the team was Butler graduate Cory Werth, who concluded his playing career with Pitt last fall.

Werth graduate from college in May and now works as an accountant in Butler.

“I have two younger brothers (Anthony and Chris) who have played soccer at Butler, too, so I've always kept up with the program,” Werth said. “I wanted to help out.

“The kids playing in their own age group, against kids their own size, has been a big factor in this.”

Werth added that the bulk of the guys on the team have been playing soccer together for a long time.

“We're talking local clubs, travel soccer, at Family Sports Center in the winter ... all the time,” he said.

Butler played Mars to a pair of scoreless ties this season. The Tornado's other scoreless tie was against Pine-Richland.

“Many of the Butler and Mars kids play on the same club team,” Zirpoli said. “Those games were almost for bragging rights and they were extremely well-played.”

Other players on the team were Jacob Campbell, Luke Garcia, Tyler Gillis, Austin Goepfert, Louis Hortert, Ian Llewellyn, AJ Ruperto, Jordan Stutz, Josh Burlingham, Zach Doerr, Kevin Pracht, Connor Strobel, Donovan Uber, Robert Arcuri and Noah Diamond.