Restrictions upend Butler's football, band Senior Night
BUTLER TWP — Butler High's band, cheerleaders and football team had Senior Night on Friday at Art Bernardi Stadium.
Well, sort of.
With Gov. Tom Wolf receiving his stay from an appeals court Thursday, crowd limitations at outside gatherings reverted back to 250 people — and disrupted the Golden Tornado's Senior Night proceedings.
“It seems that every time one of these governor's decisions comes out — and I know this is an appeals thing — it's very poor timing,” Butler Athletic Director Bill Mylan said.
Thursday night's home volleyball match with Fox Chapel did not adhere to the inside 25-person limit “because it was too late to get the communication out to everybody,” Mylan said. “But it will for now on.”At Friday night's football game, each senior player and cheerleader received two tickets. Senior cheerleaders and players, with their parents or guardians, were introduced on the field before the game with few people in the stands.The Butler marching band held its senior festivities at 5:30 p.m. — and band members were gone within 10 minutes.“They didn't even play (any songs),” Mylan said. “There was nobody to play to.“Our band people were upset, disappointed, and they should be. They work hard. They enjoy being part of the football games. On their Senior Night, they couldn't even get that much.“I don't think Gov. Wolf has any kind of appreciation for what all of this means to these kids and families,” said Mylan.With McDowell High School in Erie suspending all fall activities until Oct. 14, Butler's scheduled football game there Friday is canceled.The Golden Tornado are trying to find another opponent.“I've got a couple of logs in the fire,” Mylan said. “We're hoping to play somebody, preferably here.”
