The Butler boys basketball season is over.

The student body and community support doesn’t have to be.

Something happened during the Golden Tornado’s run through the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs this season. Interest in the team grew. Vocal support increased. So did attendance.

Enthusiasm bubbled over.

Butler’s “Green Party” student section packed gyms at Penn Hills, Fox Chapel and North Allegheny. The student section at the Tornado’s end of the Petersen Events Center was the largest I’ve ever seen.

A bunch of seniors will be gone from Butler basketball by the time next season rolls around. Tyler Frederick will probably be playing for a Division II team in college. Joel and Jace Stutz will find collegiate success in soccer or basketball — should they opt for either — just because they’ll will themselves to do so.

If Connor Ollio does not opt to concentrate solely on baseball next year, he will be a vital part of the lineup again. And stellar point guard Ethan Morton will only be a sophomore.

The question is, how prevalent will the Green Party be by the time next basketball season rolls around? How great it would be to see an overflow student section in the gym for the season opener and then watch it build from there?

A couple of the guys who helped organize the Green Party said they want to make a presence at other Butler sporting events, such as baseball and boys volleyball this spring.

There was talk of the Green Party coming to football games in full force as well. The girls teams could use their support, too.

Here’s hoping that happens.

There is nothing like a raucous, energetic, high-voltage student section at high school sporting events. They are creative in their chants, intense in their cheers and add atmosphere to the game.

All of that happened in such a positive way during the basketball playoffs this year.

We’ll see if it continues.

True pioneers

Kudos to the quick start by the Butler County Community College softball team — coached by Roni Mall —this spring.

The Pioneers just outscored CCBC 28-1 in sweeping a doubleheader Thursday.

All but one player on this team is from Butler County. The roster includes Amanda Webb, Kalynn Callihan and Noel Pfabe of Butler, Jessi Reed, Hayle Fox and Codi Reed of Knoch, Ashley Coon and Saydie Moore of Karns City, Kristen Karcher of Freeport and Alexis Vogan of Slippery Rock.

Nicole Houk of New Castle is also on the roster.

Dan Beebe, who coached Moniteau to the state championship game last season, is now an assistant with the Pioneers.

This county is filled with softball talent. This team is demonstrating that.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.