BUTLER TWP — The process continues for Butler.

Butler (0-4, 0-2) looks to break an 18-game regular-season losing streak Friday night when it travels to Shaler (2-2, 0-1) for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

The Golden Tornado grabbed a 7-0 lead over Pine-Richland last week, only to suffer a 35-7 defeat.

"To make a blanket statement that we took a step backward would be inaccurate and unfair," Butler coach Jim Rankin said. "There were some positives that came out of that game and we have to accentuate those positives right now.

"Pine-Richland responded when we got that lead. We didn't. We need to keep taking steps. It's a process," he added.

Rankin said the Tornado run defense, which allowed the Rams 90 total yards while limiting tailback Justin Williams to 41, showed marked improvement.

"Most of their rushing yardage came from the quarterback," the coach said. "We shut down their ground game pretty good. And Shaler doesn't have the passing game that Pine-Richland has."

Rankin lauded the play of sophomore linebacker Bob Vernick and the defensive line, led by Adam Steiner and Ben McKnight. Linebacker Cole Baxter "graded out unbelievably well" on film.

But a loss is a loss. Nobody knows that more than Rankin.

"The process is agonizing at times," Rankin said. "We're dealing with human beings who haven't experienced football in a winning sense.

"Trying to turn that around ... the process is overwhelming, but you have to play through it."

Rankin described the play of Butler's offense as "disappointing" Friday night.

"We're not handling our assignments well or playing aggressively enough, especially on the perimeter," he said.

"It's difficult to analyze what's been going on. You don't know what people are thinking. All you can do is coach as hard as you can and as right as you can.

"It's almost as if the kids are looking for permission to go kick the crap out of somebody. It's OK to go out there, sell your body out and play physical," Rankin added.

Shaler is coming off a 28-7 loss to North Hills in its Northern Seven opener. Butler hasn't defeated Shaler since posting a 17-14 triumph in 2002.

"They are a physical team that will try to knock us off the ball and have their way with us," Rankin said. "Our kids are no different from theirs, though. Our kids should be able to compete with that group of kids from Shaler."

Rankin added that the Titans are resilient, however, rallying to defeat Bethel Park in a tight game and responding to each Hempfield score in a 35-28 victory.

"If we get up on them, they're going to bounce back, so we have to be that way, too," he said.

Nothing would cure the Tornado's ills like a victory.

"You can't measure that impact until it happens," Rankin said. "It would heighten the kids' faith in the system we're doing.

"They need to experience the joy of winning a football game. No one should have to deal with this many negative results," he added.