BUTLER TWP — Scott Stoner sat on a classroom desk down the hall from the Butler wrestling room and leaned against the lockers looking disappointed.

There wasn't much the 22nd-year Golden Tornado wrestling coach was happy about Tuesday night at the Butler Intermediate High School.

Five Butler wrestlers scored the first takedown and eventually lost their matches in a 30-28 non-section match against McGuffey.

“It's just disappointing, because we're better than that,” Stoner said. “It comes down to at one point or another, you have to pick yourself up when someone comes after you and stand your ground, be assertive and take him out.

“We got cautious, we got worried what if we make a mistake and lose a match. You can't wrestle that way.”

The Golden Tornado (3-2) won't have another section match until Jan. 6 at North Allegheny and will wrestle in the Southmoreland Tournament Monday.

Nick Roth, a 195-pound senior, feels Butler needs to refocus.

“Keep on progressing, coming together,” Roth said. “Everything the coach tells us in the room, we need to pay attention and try to retain it. Leave everything out on the mat.”

Butler won five of the first six matches to take a 24-3 lead. Donovan Malovich (145 pounds) and Jeremiah Bortmas (170) won by decision.

Hank Finan (160), Justin Johnson (182) and Roth won by pinfall.

Roth got taken down first by Austin Doak before scoring a reversal.

He got Doak down to the mat to finish the match in 3:49.

“The main thing is when I'm down, I just can't give up,” said Roth, who has five pins this season. “I need to stay off my knees, work for the takedown and then work for the pin.”

McGuffey (12-2) won the next seven matches to take a 27-24 lead.

Gage Nicolella (120) fought off an early takedown by Sam Dietrich, winning 6-2 to tie the match at 24.

Teague Nicolella put the Highlanders ahead with a takedown 15 seconds into his 5-3 overtime against Connor Foust. Nicolella forced overtime with a reversal in the third period.

“You can never count the Nicolella's out because they have big hearts,” McGuffey coach Mark Caffrey said. “They get behind and they keep battling the whole match.”

Aaron Harris' 6-4 win at 132 put McGuffey ahead 30-24 to seal the win.

Even if Cole Baxter (138), who won by major decision, had pinned Luke Desmond, the Highlanders would have won on criteria.

McGuffey had the edge in matches won, 8-6.

Stoner hopes to see his team get tougher mentally as the year goes on.

“We had control in a lot of the matches and momentum up top,” Stoner said. “Guys didn't finish and didn't wrestle with heart and intensity. That's something that is beyond technique and beyond skill you can teach kids.”

McGuffey 30, Butler 28

(Match started at 145 pounds)

106-Lane Klein (M) by forfeit; 113-Brandon DeGarmo dec. Isaiah Christy, 6-4; 120-Gage Nicolella (M) dec. Sam Dietrich, 6-4; 126-Teague Nicolella (M) dec. Connor Foust, 5-3 OT; 132-Aaron Harrison (M) dec. Scott Dietrich, 6-4; 138-Caleb Baxter (B) maj. dec. Aaron Harris, 14-4; 145-Donovan Malovich (B) dec. Jeff McConn 9-3; 152-Luke Shingle (M) dec. Mike Vogt, 4-2; 160-Hank Finan (B) pin Dillon Richey; 170-Jeremiah Bortmas (B) dec. Connor Thompson, 15-8; 182-Justin Johnson (B) pin Huey Gillespie, 5:40; 195-Nick Roth (B) pin Austin Doak, 3:49; 220-Liam McElhoes (M) dec. Seth McCrea, 3-2; Hwt.-Ryan Stienstraw pin JD Bojanac, 2:30