BUTLER TWP— Butler is running out of chances to win a football game this season.

If the Golden Tornado (0-7, 0-3) win this week, David truly will have slain Goliath.

North Allegheny (7-0, 3-0) comes to Art Bernardi Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday ranked among the top five teams in PIAA Quad-A

Since winning its opening game 19-16 over Bethel Park, North Allegheny, which hasn't lost a Northern Five contest since 2005, has defeated every team in its path by at least 14 points.

Butler has not scored more than 17 points in any game this year.

"This is high school football and anything can happen,"Tornado coach Jeff McAnallen said. "We talk to the kids like men and let them know what they're up against.

"Then we go to work on putting a package together offensively and defensively to try to win the football game."

That package will not include sophomore tight end Jared Oesterling, Butler's leading receiver with 18 catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns. He broke his hand late in the Tornado's 20-0 loss to North Hills last week and is out for the season.

"Just one of those freakish things where his arm swung around and his hand caught somebody's helmet,"McAnallen said.

No other Butler player has as many as 10 catches or 100 yards. Mason McLaughlin has seven catches for 55 yards, Cameron McDonald-Cahill five for 56, fullback Tony Fudoli three for 76.

With Oesterling out, T.J. Lesniewski will play tight end on a regular basis.

"T.J. can do the job there, but now he doesn't get a break because he's such a good defensive player for us,"McAnallen said.

Lesniewski was named Butler Quarterback Club Player of the Week for his consistent tackling and blocking against North Hills.

McAnallen also cited the play of quarterback-defensive back Cole Harvey, offensive lineman Jeff Achezinski and linebacker John Scialabba. The latter two are seniors.

"What I love about this team is that no one's given up and everyone still comes to practice motivated and ready to play football,"McAnallen said.

"Cole Harvey only comes off the field on kickoffs. He's also our punter and he's done a great job of putting the ball inside the 20-yard line the past two weeks."

Two lost fumbles cost the Tornado against North Hills. Oesterling fumbled after making a catch in Indians territory and Harvey lost a fumble deep in Butler territory, both in the first half.

"Jared made a nice catch and was fighting for yardage when he took a good hit and the ball came out,"McAnallen said. "Cole's fumble — I'm not sure that even was a fumble.

"One fumble cost us field position, the other cost us a touchdown. Both cost us momentum."

In facing North Allegheny, McAnallen sees where he hopes his program will be in a couple of years.

"Those seniors starting for them now all started as sophomores,"he said. "The other big thing I see with NAis (coach Art Walker) has all of the top kids from other sports playing football for him.

"Karl DeCiantis is a stud at tailback and football's not even his best sport. He's a helluva wrestler. (Quarterback-receiver)Geoff Greco is a standout in track. He has a lot of kids like that.

"Because they have so many quality athletes, he can spell guys during a game and keep everybody fresh. That's a big part of their success, too,"McAnallen added.

One of McAnallen's goals at Butler is to get the top athletes from other sports to join his program.

"Absolutely. we need to do that here," he said. "As coaches, we need to develop relationships with the kids and make them want to play football. I teach eighth grade, so that's where I'm starting. It will pay off down the road."