SLIPPERY ROCK — Butler County is housing two minor league football teams this summer.

While the Western PAWarhawks of the North American Football League will play its home games at Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium, the New Castle Thunder have reached an agreement with Slippery Rock University to play its home games at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium at Slippery Rock University.

Both first-year teams are members of the NAFL's Grassroots Division and will play their home openers at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Warhawks host the Pittsburgh Colts and the Thunder host the Eastlake Vikings.

Both teams dropped their season openers on the road last week. The Warhawks suffered a 28-6 loss to the Ohio Vardinals while the Thunder suffered a 28-3 defeat to the Pittsburgh Colts in Canonsburg.

"That score is a bit misleading in that it was 7-3 at halftime,"Thunder publicist David Cochenour said. "And the Colts are ranked among the top 10 in all of minor league football.

"Between us, the Warhawks and the Colts, players on all of these teams know each other. They've played against each other in the past. There are natural rivalries there."

Cochenour is hopeful the Thunder and Warhawks can form a "backyard brawl like Pitt and West Virginia." The teams meet Aug. 5 at SRU and Aug. 26 at Seneca Valley.

"They are a first-year team experiencing the same problems we are,"Cochenour said. "But both of our teams have talent."

It took the New Castle Thunder a while to get settled — and to find a home.

The franchise was originally formed as the New Castle Knights in April, but legal issues involving the original owner forced the organization to go in another direction.

"We restructured a little bit,"Cochenour said. "Anthony Razzano, a well-known CPAin New Castle, took over the team, former coach Rick Sumner became director of player personnel and Rick Razzano became head coach."

Rick Razzano, the owner's uncle, played in the NFLwith the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Thunder had landed Neshannock High School's stadium as their home field four weeks ago, but more problems developed.

"Residents there complained about the noise at a school board meeting a week and a half later,"Cochenour said. "We figured if they didn't want us playing there, we didn't want to play there.

"We called every high school and college within 50 miles looking for a place to play."

When the deal was struck with SRU, the Thunder became the first NAFLteam to play its home games at a college venue.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to play at Slippery Rock University," Anthony Razzano said in a prepared statement. "We are extremely appreciative of the way Slippery Rock stepped up to the plate to help our team."

The Thunder had worked out a deal with North Allegheny to use its field as a back-up plan, but "we didn't want to play there because it's too far away,"Cochenour said.

"Now we can attract fans from Lawrence County, Butler County and Mercer County. This is a big break for us," he added.

The Thunder have no players on their roster from Butler County. The Warhawks have players from Seneca Valley, Mars, Karns City and Butler on their squad.

Home games for both teams follow:

Western PA Warhawks(at NexTier Stadium)July 1-Pittsburgh Colts

July 15-Ohio Cardinals

July 22-Ohio Dogs

Aug. 26-New Castle Thunder

Sept. 9-Ohio Invaders

Sept. 16-Columbus Fire

New Castle Thunder(at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium)July 1-Eastlake Vikings

July 8-Ohio Cardinals

Aug. 5-Western PA Warhawks

Aug. 19-Pittsburgh Colts

Sept. 2-Columbus Fire

Sept. 16-Columbus Fire