BUTLER TWP — This is no time to fret about last week's last-second loss to Norwin — unless you want to lose another one.

Butler dropped a 24-21 decision to the Knights in Week 2 by allowing a 39-yard field goal after losing a fumble with seven seconds left.

Now the Golden Tornado venture to Penn Hills for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday in a battle of winless football teams.

"Each week, our opponent will be better and better," Butler coach Jeff McAnallen said. "That's just how our schedule shapes up this year, so we have to get better each week if we expect to compete."

The Tornado have competed, but turnovers have done them in. They committed five in a season-opening 20-14 loss to New Castle and lost two critical fumbles against Norwin.

"If you're giving the ball away more often than your opponents in high school football, it's awfully tough to win," McAnallen said. "And we're on the minus side of that statistic so far.

"The good news is we did improve as a football team from Week 1 to Week 2. That trend has to continue."

Penn Hills was 0-2 last year before coming to Art Bernardi Stadium and posting a 42-21 victory. The Indians ran off a string of victories after that.

Penn Hills began 2009 ranked highly in WPIAL Quad-A, but the Indians have losses of 19-7 to Gateway and 25-0 to Bethel Park on its resume.

"They came to our place last year clicking much better offensively than they are right now," McAnallen said. "We're hoping to go down there and turn the tables on them this time.

"This won't be easy, though. Penn Hills has a few Division I caliber athletes. A couple of them have already signed," the coach added.

Guard-defensive tackle Aaron Donald (6-feet-3, 270 pounds) is headed to Pitt while tight end-middle linebacker Myles Davis (6-2, 223) signed with Syracuse.

Butler offensive linemen Dylan O'Donnell and Isaac Hartung will be blocking Donald "as he'll likely be lining up right over them." McAnallen said.

The Tornado will be without two key players Friday, as receiver-linebacker Jarrod Oesterling has an injured knee and linebacker Nick Elliott is undergoing knee surgery.

Elliott is lost for the season. Oesterling should miss only a game or two.

"Jarrod should be fine for the Shaler game (Butler's Northern Six opener), and I'm fine with that," McAnallen said. "He's too valuable a player to us to risk losing for section games."

Oesterling scored on touchdown receptions of 56 and 27 yards against Norwin, getting the bulk of the yardage after the catch.

With Oesterling and Elliott out of the linebacker picture, sophomore Tanner Wahler and senior fullback John Cumpston will see time there Friday.

"What we can't do against this team is allow the big play," McAnallen said. "Penn Hills tries to beat you with its athleticism. Force them to drive the field and eventually they make a mistake."

The Indians were plagued by turnovers in their loss at Bethel Park last week.

Penn Hills uses two tailbacks — Terrell Roberson and Kei Pasch'l — in an I-formation offense.

"They line up seven or eight yards behind the line of scrimmage and get the ball in space," McAnallen said.

Sophomore Chaz Whittaker is listed as the Indians' starting quarterback, though Phil Morford and senior Nick Cyphers have taken snaps behind center.

"We need to protect the football," McAnallen said. "We're going down there like we have nothing to lose. I want our kids to be loose and play well."