BUTLER TWP — Butler scored some critical points late.

It was points the Golden Tornado failed to cash in that proved costly in their 7-6 non-section football loss to Norwin Friday night at Art Bernardi Stadium.

“We probably left 14 to 17 points on the field,” Butler coach Rob Densmore said. “We put together three or four long drives tonight. We just didn't finish.”

The game was scoreless until the fourth quarter. Norwin quarterback Jack Salopek found Dylan Kantz for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 10:21 left to break the deadlock.

Butler answered with a 65-yard drive that ended on Luke Michalek's 1-yard quarterback sneak with 5:20 remaining. The PAT snap was high and Michalek, the holder, took the ball and sprinted toward the right corner.

He dove for the pylon, but was ruled short of the goal line.

“I saw the pylon move, maybe they said his knee was down first, I don't know,” Densmore said. “It is what it is. There is no replay in high school football.”

The Tornado never got the ball back as Salopek completed 18 and 16-yard passes and Jayvon Thrift rambled 14 yards up the middle on a third-and-13 to seal the deal.

“This was a slugfest tonight,” Norwin coach Dave Brozeski said. “That's the biggest line we've faced all year.”

Butler's Emery Douthette was wide left on field goal attempts of 31 and 39 yards in the first half. On second-and-1 from the Norwin 31 with 13 seconds left in the half, the Tornado (2-5) lost seven yards on a trick play that ate up all but one second. A Hail Mary pass was intercepted down field to end the half.

“The first field goal, I thought we hurried too much,” Densmore said. “There were nine or 10 seconds left on the play clock when we snapped it. I don't think our kicker was ready at that point.

“The second field goal missed by maybe a couple of feet.”

Butler had a first-and-goal at the Norwin 8-yard line. The Tornado gained nothing on first down from there, but took a personal foul penalty after the play.

“We can't be taking penalties like that,” Densmore said. “We're not built for second-and-20.”

Norwin (4-4) missed a first-half scoring chance of its own. The Knights had second-and-6 from the Butler 21 midway through the second quarter, but a shotgun snap sailed past quarterback Jack Salopek and Butler's Darin Skidmore recovered the ball at the Butler 38

The Knights' John Piekut recovered a fumble at the Butler 34 early in the third quarter and drove toward the goal line. A 6-yard TD pass was wiped out by a penalty. A fourth-and-goal pass from the 3-yard line fell incomplete and Butler took over.

“I wanted the ball in the end zone, not a field goal,” Brozeski said. “We miss a field goal, they get the ball at the 20. I was playing the field position game.”

The Tornado's defensive front, including Connor Frost, Nick Stazer, Skidmore and Trevor Valent, kept Norwin out of the end zone.

“Our defense played a great game,” Densmore said. “They hurt us with some slant patterns, but we put pressure on the quarterback.

“When their kid needed to complete the passes, he did.”

Brozeski agreed.

“We weren't converting those plays early,” he said. “I'm glad we were able to convert them late.”

Norwin 0 0 0 7 — 7

Butler 0 0 0 6 — 6

Fourth Quarter

N — Dylan Kantz 12 pass from Jack Salopek (Carter Breen kick), 10:21

B — Luke Michalek 1 run (run failed), 5:20

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Norwin, Jack Salopek 5-(-3), Jayvon Thrift 8-46, Ezekiel Houser 12-32, TEAM 1-(-16). Butler, Luke Michalek 20-83, John Michalek 14-66, Jacob Tilko 4-16, Jake Kradel 1-(-3), Logan Dubyak 2-5, Jacob Beck 1-6.

Passing: Norwin, Jack Salopek 13-19-161-0. Butler, Luke Michalek 1-1-6-0, John Michal;ek 1-1-1-0, Brandon Fleeger 0-1-0-1.

Receiving: Norwin, Bill Kerston 3-25, Zachary Begg 2-33, Dylan Kantz 4-49, Gianni Rizzo 3-47, JHayvon Thrift 1-7. Butler, Jacob Tilko 1-6, Luke Michalek 1-1.