BUTLER TWP — The deficiency is obvious. So is the heart.

The Butler County Bears managed only six first downs — three of those by penalty — and minus-13 yards of offense in suffering a 13-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pride in Heartland Football League play Saturday night at Art Bernardi Stadium.

Pittsburgh's Brandon Anderson returned the opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown, but the Pride managed only one other score the rest of the way despite intercepting six passes.

“One thing everyone we play says about our team ... we're not going to quit,” Bears coach Kirk Bergbigler said. “Right down to the final seconds, we're trying to make plays.”

Pass blocking proved a problem in that regard, however. Bears quarterbacks were sacked five times and all six interceptions — including five thrown by Karns City grad Erik Fuhrer — occurred with the quarterback under heavy pressure.

“Blocking has been a problem area for us the past couple of years,” Bergbigler admitted. “We moved the ball against virtually every team we played last year, but this league is a step up in competition for us.

“We're playing much better teams and it's showing. Tonight, we couldn't move the ball at all.”

The Bears are playing in their third league in as many years. They reached the championship game of the Gridiron Football Alliance last year.

The Pride struggled to move the ball at times Saturday. Pittsburgh defeated the Pittsburgh Stealth 53-0 and the Pittsburgh Cobras 56-11 in two preseason games before opening HFL play with a 56-6 trouncing of Columbiana County last week.

Pittsburgh's lone offensive touchdown Saturday came late in the third quarter when halfback Quentez Thompson lofted a 36-yard bomb to Jason Booker on a fourth-and-11 play.

Bergbigler thought Pittsburgh had a tackle lined up in the backfield on the play.

“I thought it'd be whistled down. Only about half the guys were even moving during the play on both sides. It was strange ... I'll have to see the film,” he said.

The Bears' aggressive defense disrupted the Pride's big-play attack.

“They just pinned their ears back and kept coming after us,” Pride coach Rich Sterling said. “They chased us out of our spread and we weren't expecting that.

“We went to more of a power running game in the second half. Kill the clock and let's go home.”

The Bears got inside the Pride's 30-yard line three times on the night. A fumbled punt snap gave Butler County possession at the Pride's 13-yard line midway through the first quarter. On third-and-1 from the 4-yard line, Steve Cupec was nailed for a 2-yard loss and Fuhrer's desperation screen pass to Justin Sanderson lost 14 yards on fourth down.

A 31-yard pass interference penalty gave the Bears a first down at the Pride's 27 late in the half, but Fuhrer was intercepted two plays later.

“We never stunted, blitzed or did anything fancy defensively,” Sterling said. “We stayed in a base defense all night. They just couldn't block us.”

Sanderson, a Moniteau graduate, rushed for 26 yards on the Bears' first possession of the final quarter. Butler County drove to the Pittsburgh 23, but threw an interception on third down.

“We went to more of a power backfield on that possession and had some success with it,” Bergbigler said. “We may have to do more of that in the future.”

Dale Nelson recovered a fumble for the Bears in the team's lone takeaway of the night. Karns City graduate Justin Switzer was among the team's leading tacklers from his linebacker position.

Butler County (1-1) returns to Art Bernardi Stadium to face the Columbiana County Scourge at 7 p.m. Saturday night.

The Pittsburgh Pride (1-1) are in their second season in the HFL, finishing 7-3 and winning a playoff game last year.

Pittsburgh 7 0 6 0 — 13B.C. Bears 0 0 0 0 — 0First QuarterP — Brandon Anderson 80 kick return (Tim Feroce kick), 14:48

Third QuarterP — Jason Booker 36 pass from Quentez Thompson (kick failed), :04

Team StatisticsFirst Downs: Pittsburgh 13, Bears 6Rushes-Yards: Pittsburgh 31-92, Bears 32-2Passing Yards: Pittsburgh 125, Bears -15Passes Comp.-Att.-Int.: Pittsburgh 9-27-0, Bears 2-15-6Total Plays-Yards: Pittsburgh 58-217, Bears 47-(-13)Penalties: Pittsburgh 13-151, Bears 7-50

Individual StatisticsPassing: Pittsburgh, Brenden Pearson 8-25-89-0, Quentez Thompson 1-2-36-0. Bears, Erik Fuhrer 1-10-(-14)-5, Bob Manno 1-4-(-1)-0, Antawane Davis 0-1-0-1.Rushing: Pittsburgh, Jared Thompson 3-2, Domanek Cabbagestalk 1-9, Terryll Little 1-(-2), TEAM 2-(-15), Darren Jett 1-6, Brenden Pearson 3-(-6), Darrell Wolford 1-11, Tristan Booker 1-(-1), Quentez Thompson 6-43, Brandon Anderson 9-34, Eugene Hopkins 1-3. Bears, Eugene Clark 7-(-5), TEAM 1-(-18), Matt Robinson 4-14, Erik Fuhrer 6-(-17), Steve Cupec 4-14, Justin Sanderson 7-27, Antawane Davis 3-(-13).Receiving: Pittsburgh, Drew Stanny 2-51, Jason Booker 3-52, Darrell Wolford 2-58, Jewell Stephens 1-12, Rob Albro 1-7. Bears, Justin Sanderson 2-(-15).