BUTLER TWP — This game was practically over

before the opening tip.Butler had an 8-0 lead less than two minutes in and a 17-2 advantage barely four minutes into the contest in routing Franklin Regional, 75-47, in boys basketball play Saturday night.The game ended the regular season for both teams. Both are headed to the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs.“Our kids are excited about being in the playoffs. I think they showed that tonight,” Golden Tornado coach Matt Clement said. “We came out focused and ready to play.”The Panthers? Different story.Franklin Regional (10-12) got blown out for the second time in two nights, having droppedd a 62-44 decision at Plum on Friday.“We clinched a playoff spot a week ago (Feb. 4) and haven't played a good game since,” Panthers coach Brad Midgley said. “We scrapped our way to a one-point win over the last-place team in our section. That's the only game we've won since.“We need to find a way out of this funk or we're in for an early exit.”Butler (12-9) led by as many as 35 points at 66-31 with 1:50 left in the third quarter. The Tornado had a 45-24 lead at halftime and scored 28 points in the first quarter.“That first half tonight was the most unselfish half of basketball we've played in the past two years,” Clement said. “We had a ton of assists. That was fun to watch.”Every player on Butler's bench saw action in this game. Bobby Swartwout scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds in barely two full quarters of playing time.Vinnie Schmidt scored 15 points, snared six rebounds and had five assists. He scored 11 points in the first quarter.Cody Herald contributed 12 points, draining three treys.“Vinnie played an outstanding game. He was the best player on the court tonight,” Clement said. “He saw some time at the point and did well there, too.“It's important to have someone spell Nate (point guard Snodgrass) if the situation calls for it.”Butler sank 19 of 29 field goal attempts in the first half. The Tornado drained their first six shots of the game, including two treys.“They got on such a roll early and we did nothing to stem the tide,” Midgley said. “They just walked all over us.“You hate to get into that on switch, off switch stuff. You need to have your game turned on all of the time.”The Tornado outrebounded the Panthers 32-22. Butler had just six turnovers in the first three quarters to Franklin Regional's 12. Butler emptied its bench in the final quarter.No one reached double figures for Franklin Regional. Davey Gregory paced the team with nine points.Butler's junior varsity dropped a 44-43 decision Saturday to finish its season at 6-8.

FRANKLIN REGIONAL 47Davey Gregory 3-9 1-2 9, Luke McHugh 0-1 0-0 0, Kevin Flaherty 4-6 0-0 8, Dom Venditti 1-1 0-0 2, Tyler Liebegott 1-4 1-2 4, Mark Summers 1-3 0-0 2, Jack Summers 3-4 0-0 6, Gianpaul Tolleri 0-1 2-2 2, Sammy Ayasso 2-5 2-4 6, Jim Clair 1-4 0-0 2, Graham Schilling 3-5 0-2 6, Nate Hlozek 0-0 0-0 0.

Totals: 19-43 6-12 47.

BUTLER 75Nate Snodgrass 3-4 2-2 9, Trevor Wideman 3-4 0-0 6, Cody Herald 4-10 1-1 12, Zach Slater 1-4 0-0 2, Jake Hilliard 0-1 0-0 0, Bill Smith 2-3 1-4 5, Dom Pusateri 0-0 0-0 0, Matt Baranchak 0-0 0-0 0, Vinnie Schmidt 7-9 0-2 15, David Tompkins 2-5 0-0 4, Bobby Swartwout 7-7 6-8 20, Luke Hartung 0-3 2-2 2, Zach Pilarcik 0-0 0-2 0, Tanner Wahler 0-0 0-0 0.

Totals: 29-50 12-21 75.

Franklin Regional 12 12 12 11—47Butler 28 17 21 9—753-point goals: Franklin Regional 3 (Gregory 2, Liebegott); Butler 5 (Herald 3, Snodgrass, Schmidt).

Junior varsity: Frankllin Regional, 44-43 (B: Luke Hartung 14, Dom Pusateri 12, FR: Nate Hlozek 12, Graham Schilling 11)

Tuesday: WPIAL playoff meeting, Greentree, 7 p.m.