BUTLER TWP — As Butler’s football team gets younger, its challenges seem to get tougher.

The Golden Tornado (0-6, 0-4) play host to unbeaten Pine-Richland (6-0, 5-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Art Bernardi Stadium.

Butler has welcomed previously injured offensive lineman Josh Trufley — who saw some action last week — back to the lineup. Assorted injuries at other positions have forced more inexperienced players, some of them sophomores, on to the varsity playing field.

“We have a lot of guys getting valuable experience right now against top-level opponents,” Tornado coach Rob Densmore said. “We’re playing hard, we’re just making mistakes on some big plays.

“North Allegheny was so much bigger than us up front. Our linemen had trouble coming off blocks at times. Pine-Richland isn’t nearly as big as NA.”

But the Rams are explosive.

“Our goal is to limit the big plays and force them to drive the field on us ... But that’s easier said than done,” Densmore admitted.

Pine-Richland is averaging 45 points per game. Sophomore 6-foot-5 quarterback Phil Jurkovec has thrown for 1,140 yards and nine touchdowns while getting intercepted only once all season. Butler sophomore Logan Dubyak came up with the Tornado’s first interception of the year last week.

Butler did not suffer a turnover last week for the first time this season.

Jurkovec has also rushed for 780 yards and six TDs. He’s already had five 100-yard rushing games and ran for more than 200 in last week’s 35-28 win over Seneca Valley.

“We missed a few chances to put that game away late, but Seneca Valley is very good,” Rams coach Eric Kasperowicz said. “Phil is a student of the game for someone his age. We run an up-tempo, no-huddle offense and he has the keys.”

He’s got some weapons as well.

Jimmy Graf has rushed for 564 yards and 11 touchdowns. Anthony Battaglia and Brandon Humphrey Jr. lead a talented receiving corps, combining for 30 catches, 472 yards and five touchdowns.

“Jurkovec is a big, smart, physical kid,” Densmore said. “He has a lot of natural ability to go with the coaching he’s received. You don’t coach 6-5.”

Kasperowicz said Graf was “stuck behind (running back) Connor Slomka for two years, but has seized his opportunity this year and become an excellent two-way player for us.”

Prior to last week’s shootout with Seneca Valley, Pine-Richland was allowing only 10 points per game.

That defense is anchored by a pair of three-year starters — 230-pound senior linebacker Zach Lemirande and 6-4, 250-pound senior end Matt Hampson — and Graf in the secondary.

“Offensively, Butler is a tough, physical team and they will try to run the ball,” Kasperowicz said. “They play attacking defense and they’ll be in the right spots.

“Regardless of record, we have to be ready for whoever we play. We’re the defending champs, so we’re going to get everybody’s best. We’re everybody’s Super Bowl.”

Butler quarterback Shad Stepp is likely out for the season and running back Damien Pickett will not play because of a shoulder injury. Receiver-cornerback Scott Dietrich is sidelined by a hip problem.

Pickett has 671 all-purpose yards for Butler. Dallas Hays with 184 is next in that category among the healthy Tornado.

Sophomore Brandon Fleeger will start at quarterback for Butler. He threw a 53-yard scoring pass to Kelley Kuharic in last week’s 41-7 loss at North Allegheny

“Brandon has a good arm. He just lacks experience,” Densmore said. “There is potential there, for sure.”

Since joining the Northern Eight, Pine-Richland has defeated Butler in six of their seven meetings, including 48-10 last year.