Butler Gold, Mites to play for titles
From one win to one crowning moment.
The Butler Gold and Butler Mites — BAMFL teams competing in the United Youth Football League — will be trying to complete that journey Saturday at Knoch Stadium.
The teams have reached the UYFL's Super Bowl in their respective divisions. The Butler Mites (ages 7-8) play unbeaten Pine Black at 10 a.m. while the Butler Gold (ages 11-12) take on Pine Green at 3 p.m.
This marks the first time Butler's Mite Division team has reached the Super Bowl. The team is 7-1 on the year, including playoff wins over Shaler and McDowell.
Pine Black edged Butler, 33-27, in their regular season meeting.
“We call ourselves the Mighty 15,” assistant head coach Terry Walton said, referring to the team's roster size. “We have the smallest roster in the league by far, yet led the league in scoring and point differential.
“I'm a competitive person and I love the attitude of our kids. They are so dedicated and determined.”Walton said some Mite teams in the UYFL have as many as 40 players. Pine Black has 32 to 35 players on its team.Ron Ruby is head coach of the Butler Mites. Other assistants are Matt Schandelmeier and Fred Eggleton.The “Mighty 15” are Phoenix Walton, Logan Schandelmeier, Dewayne Brown, Reed Cousins, Wyatt Ruby, Maddix Iman, Cayden Ball, Logan Smith, Caleb Gregory, Judd Prescott, Josh Luchkiw, Gary Petrigni, Cody Eggleton, Zander Caldwell and CJ Williams.Eight of the team's current players were on last year's Mite squad that won one game.Quarterback/defensive back Phoenix Walton has qualified to play in a youth All-American game in South Carolina. Wyatt Ruby is a fullback/middle linebacker.Todd Simko is head coach of the Butler Gold team, which won only one game last year as an inexperienced varsity group. Deacon Simko is the only 11-year-old on this year's 25-player roster.“Our goal since we started practice July 20 was to get to the Super Bowl,” Coach Simko said. “We lost games to Shaler and Mars in the regular season, but have regrouped since.”Playoff wins have come against Pine Black (26-6) and McDowell (15-6).Simko guided the Butler junior varsity team to the Super Bowl last year before bumping up to varsity this year.Butler Gold has had 17 different players score touchdowns this year, including everyone on the starting offensive unit. Jake Stevens and Deacon Simko lead the team in touchdowns while Jake, Ethan Deless and Beau Burchett lead the squad in tackles.Simko said Jake Stevens “is clearly the best player in the league, both physically and his mental understanding of the game.“Our team doesn't have a superstar and have a team of very good football players,” he added.“We have great team moms and the kids have been so dedicated. They've really embraced this.”Butler Gold's 25-player roster includes Kyle Casteel, Mason Lacey, Andrew Gettinger, Jabaree Jennings, Rashed Sanad, Tyson Pino, Eli Shay, Zavyr Gregory, Deacon Simko, Anthony Salmon, Noah Ruby, Paxton Winkler, Jake Stevens, Sutton Stoner, Kaden Connors, Beau Burchett, Houston Walton, Layne Zmijowski, Griffin Bauer, Ethan Deless, Zachary Zandarski, Joshua Montgomery, Henry McLister, Max Byers and Nick Goetz.
