BUTLER TWP — Footballs could be flying Friday night at Art Bernardi Stadium.

Which team is catching them with the most success could well decide Butler's fate in its Class 6A Northern Seven opener against Penn Hills at 7:30 p.m.

While Butler is coming off a pair of scrimmages against Woodland Hills and Knoch — using just basic plays in both — Penn Hills is coming off a wild 50-42 loss to Canada Prep Academy.

“That team had tremendous size — I'm talking 6-foot-9, 300 pounds up front — and our kids held their own against them,” Penn Hills coach John Peterman said. “We had a couple of turnovers that really cost us.”

Indians quarterback Cam Tarrant threw one interception that was returned for a touchdown. He tossed another pick at his own 9-yard line that set up an easy opposing score.

Otherwise, to say Tarrant was effective in the passing game would be a supreme understatement.

The 5-foot-10, 165-pound senior completed 29 of 41 passes for 530 yards and six touchdowns in the Penn Hills loss. Only Riverside's Jason Dambach, who threw for 551 yards in a game last season, has thrown for more yards in a game in WPIAL history.

Penn Hills rolled up 681 yards of offense last week.

“Their offense is very dynamic,” Butler coach Rob Densmore said. “That quarterback is extremely quick. It's hard enough to cover everything down the field, but if you do, he's liable to pull it down and take off.

“Our defenders have to stay in the right spots all the time. This is going to be a big challenge and we're gonna find out if we're up for it.”

Tarrant threw for 783 yards and rushed for 369 as a spot starter last year. The Indians went 3-7, losing 42-7 to Pine-Richland in the first round of the playoffs.

Senior receiver Julian Major caught seven passes for 143 yards last week. He has been offered scholarships by Wisconsin, Syracuse, Boston College, Kentucky and Arkansas.

“The kid is lengthy. He's got long arms,” Peterman said. “The speed is there, too ... He's got all the skills.”

Daivon Stephens, a 6-6 junior, and senior Frederick Squires, a tight end at 6-foot-2, offer big targets for Tarrant. Tim and Terry Smith lead a productive running game.

Butler came out of its scrimmages healthy and Densmore admits his team didn't show much in either one.

“We ran a lot of base stuff,” he said. “One thing we did show is the ability to throw the ball. We'll have a passing game this year.

“(QB) Brandon Fleeger is coming along very well. We hit some deep balls against Woodland Hills and that's tough to do against them. Hopefully, this will force people not to play nine or 10 defenders in the box like we've seen the past couple of years.”

Dallas Hays will be the primary back for the Golden Tornado, though Noah Ryder, Antonio DeVaughn and Logan Dubyak will get carries as well.

“We need to be balanced back there, especially since Dallas and Noah will be keys on the defensive side of the ball,” Densmore said.

Tornado captains this year are Kyle Heller, Ryder, Seth McCrea and DeVaughn.

“Our leadership has really stepped up. We're a team this year,” the coach enthused.

Densmore said outside linebacker Jacob Tilko “has been outstanding on defense” during the scrimmages.

Peterman admitted he didn't learn much from those scrimmages.

“It does look like they mix the run and pass well,” Peterman said. “But it's hard to learn much from teams running 10-play sets and that's it.

“We opted to play a game last week because it's another chance for our kids to show their skills and maybe help themselves get a scholarship. Our ultimate goal is to get kids in school.”

Peterman said his father's family still lives in Butler.

“When Butler and Penn Hills met in the (WPIAL) championship way back when, we were like the Hatfields and McCoys,” he said. “My dad's family lived in Butler, we lived in Penn Hills.”

Butler is 9-11-1 all-time against Penn Hills. The teams have not met since 2009, when Penn Hills scored a 31-21 win at home. The Indians won their last game in Butler, 42-21, in 2008.

The Tornado's last win over the Indians was 42-7 in the 1997 season opener at Butler.