BUTLER TWP — Sometimes it's all in where you live.

Butler (2-4, 1-4) will try to demonstrate that Friday when it travels to Norwin (4-3, 3-2) for a 7 p.m. non-section football game.

The Golden Tornado have a chance to post three wins this season against the other 6A conference of the WPIAL.

“Mount Lebanon and Bethel Park are two upper echelon teams,” Butler coach Rob Densmore said. “Once you get below those two ... I believe we would be right in there as a playoff contender over there.”

As it is, the Tornado are in the Northern Seven with the likes of Central Catholic, Pine-Richland, North Allegheny, Seneca Valley and Penn Hills.

“It looks like Penn Hills is going to be the odd team out for those playoff spots ... and that's a pretty good football team,” Densmore said.

Norwin isn't bad in its own right. The Knights are looking for their third straight WPIAL playoff bid — a streak they haven't pulled off since 2000 — under third-year coach David Brozeski.

First-year starting quarterback Brock Dieter has thrown for 1,005 yards, 13 touchdowns and one interception. Receiver Anthony Dellafemine has 30 catches for 634 yards and eight touchdowns.

“He's got good speed and runs excellent routes,” Brozeski said of his receiver. “Anthony has made a lot of plays for us this year.

“Brock has played well for us, too. He's done a nice job of making good decisions with the ball.”

Densmore agreed with that assessment.

“That kid throws the ball where only his guy can catch it,” the Butler coach said.

The Knights use two running backs in Aaron Carr (352 yards, 6 TDs) and Kyle Turcovsky (360, TDs). The team returns only one starting offensive lineman from last year in 6-foot-4, 285-pound tackle Quenten Aranda.

“Sometimes we'll rotate our backs or use them both at the same time,” Brozeski said. “They've both been productive and they help out on defense, so we keep them fresh.”

Norwin has scored 36 or more points in each of its four victories, no more than 14 points in any of its three losses.

Butler is coming off a 49-7 loss to Central Catholic in a game where Densmore detected some bright spots.

“We were the first team they didn't return a punt or kickoff for a touchdown against,” he said. “And we moved the ball better against them than we have in three years.

“I know those are little things, but it does show we're headed in the right direction here. Now we have to go into Norwin and make enough plays to win the football game.”

Dallas Hays will make his third straight start at quarterback for the Tornado. He has completed just three of 17 passes, but has been victimized by a few drops and is always a threat to scramble for yardage.

Antonio DeVaughn, who did not play against Central after missing last Thursday's practice, will be back in the lineup Friday. He has 235 yards rushing, second on the team to Luke Michalek's 262.

Michalek also has 14 catches for 152 yards.

“They like to get the ball in No. 5's (Michalek) hands a lot,” Brozeski said. “And No. 56 (Jake Kradel) jumps out at you on film. That kid is all over the field defensively.”

Kradel, Kyle Heller, Dawson Davenport, Seth McCrea and Trent Valent have combined to put consistent pressure on the quarterback this season.

Linebackers John Piekut and Gage Luptak lead Norwin with 64 and 42 tackles, respectively. Cornerback Tevin Washington has three interceptions.

“Our line is tying up blockers so our linebackers can make tackles. That's what you want,” Brozeski said.

“Butler has athletes who can make plays and so do we. This should be an interesting game.”

Norwin leads the series between the teams, 5-3. The two haven't met since 2009, when the Knights posted a 24-21 win.