McDowell jumps on Tornado, 42-7
BUTLER TWP — A playoff berth was on the line for McDowell Friday night — and it played like it.
The Trojans scored twice in the first five minutes — the second on a blocked punt — and rolled to a 42-7 Northern Seven Conference football victory over Butler at Art Bernardi Stadium.
The Golden Tornado (2-6, 0-5) managed just one first down in the first half and trailed 28-0 at rthe half.
“McDowell has a very good football team with a lot of athletes,” Butler coach Clyde Conti said. “They knew what they had to do tonight.”
The Trojans (6-2, 4-2) took the opening kickoff and marched 53 yards in seven plays. Division I prospect Greg Garmon carried the ball on all but one of them and scored on a 14-yard run.
Garmon had 15 carries for 120 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone. He carried the ball only twice in the second half.
James Szymczak blocked a Tornado punt four plays later and Matt Sardini returned it 25 yards for the score and a 14-0 lead with 7:05 left in the opening quarter.
“We had a punt block on,” McDowell coach Mark Sobolewski said. “We work on that kind a thing a lot and we've gotten to a couple this year.
“A play like that can be a half-changer. When a team's been struggling, it's hard to recover from a play like that.”
McDowell rushed for 346 yards on the night and attempted only two passes. Butler did not cross the Trojans' 40-yard line until late in the final quarter, when the Tornado put together their lone touchdown drive.
Zach Rader connected with Canan Roskovski for a 33-yard pass down to the McDowell 5-yard line. Vince Seger scored on a 5-yard run with 2:56 remaining.
“Vince is a senior, a kid who works hard all of the time, and I put him in because I wanted to get him a carry,” Conti said.
Roskovski was on the receiving end of every Butler pass completion, tallying 59 yards on six catches.
The game was Butler's final home contest and was Senior Night. Three Tornado seniors — Demetrius Lockley, Ben McKnight and Forrest Bronder — recovered fumbles.
Bronder's recovery came at the McDowell 19-yard line with 2:45 remaining. Butler drove to the 5-yard line, but was denied a second score.
“I really wanted to celebrate our seniors tonight,” Conti said. “I wish I could have coached better for them this year. If anyone in the stands wants to be disappointed, be disappointed in me, not in the effort of these kids.
“In my coaching career, I've never been more proud of a group of kids. I've never seen a senior class go through so much adversity and these kids keep coming back. I'm proud to stand on the same sideline as them.”
Bob Vernick was Butler's leading rusher with 43 yards on 11 carries.
Sobolewski was pleased with his team's effort as well.
“This was a long way to travel and kids look at a team's won-loss record and focus can be a problem ... Our kids were very focused tonight,” Sobolewski said. “We put together a very crisp first half.”
McDowell did not attempt a punt all night.
Butler closes the regular season next Friday at Seneca Valley in the annual Butler Eagle Traveling Trophy game.
