BUTLER TWP — There are 24 years of separation between Butler varsity football's current winning season and the program's most recent one.

Some connections remain.

Butler is 5-4 entering this weekend's District 10 6A championship game with McDowell. The Tornado were 6-4 in 1997, though that team missed the playoffs.

Head coach Eric Christy was a defensive back and backup quarterback on that 1997 team. Current running backs coach Jason Butler was a 1,000-yard rusher for the Tornado in 1997.

Line coach Matt Martin graduated from Butler in 1997 and played on the Tornado's 6-4 team of 1996. And sophomore defensive back Ian Wilson is the son of J.R. Wilson, a starting defensive back on the 1997 team.

“J.R. was kind of a loose cannon on that team,” Christy recalled. “I watch Ian play and some of those same features are there.

“I see Ian and I feel like I'm seeing J.R. on the field. They play the same way.”

Ian said he's watched some of his father's game tapes from 24 years ago.

“It's a lot different now,” Ian said of high school football. “We're all about trying to make people miss. Back then, everybody just wanted to hit.

“They ran a lot fewer sets and plays than we do now. We run a lot more stuff. Dad and I talk about the games a lot, his and mine. It's still football.”

Jason Butler coached in the BAMFL for 10 years before coaching at the junior high level for a year. Christy asked him to join the varsity staff after that.

“I jumped on that offer,” said Butler, who runs his own business as a private contractor. “This is the level I wanted to wind up at.

“Football is one of those sports where, once high school and college are over, you can't play anymore. I got hurt at Slippery Rock (University) and my career was over. I've missed it. I wanted to get back into it.”

Butler said he sees similarities between the 1997 Golden Tornado and the 2021 edition.

“We had Troy Nunes, a quarterback who can throw on the run, and Mac Schnur can do the same thing,” he said. “Both teams have sizable lines. Both teams could run the ball.

“Our team was good enough to be in the playoffs and didn't make it. I'm glad this team did.”

And both teams had and have athletes who excelled in other sports.

Cooper Baxter is a standout wrestler and baseball player, Charlie Kreinbucher a stellar basketball player on this year's team. Jared Farabee was a state champion in the pole vault while Lyneil Mitchell was a standout wrestler on the 1997 team.

Scott Mohney, a starter on the 1997 Tornado football team, is current Butler boys soccer coach Troy Mohney's brother.

“I remember the talent we had back then,” Christy said. “We started off hot (3-0), then that tough (27-14) loss to Woodland Hills set us back. We hit a bit of a lull there.”

This year's team had to win its final regular season game to secure a winning season, doing so with a tight 27-23 victory over Erie. The 1997 team had to win its final regular season game to secure a winning season as well, doing so with a 42-34 decision over Bethel Park.

“The game was played differently then,” Martin recalled of the late 1990's. “We had three backs in the backfield all the time. You would never see that today.

“The Wing-T in those days was like the spread is today. It was commonplace.”

Martin added that the way high school football was played when he was in school, “you could hide a corner” if you were weak on one side of your pass defense.

“No way can you do that now,” he said. “You'd get burned.”

Christy is grateful Butler came up to join the varsity staff. He remains hopeful more of his former Butler teammates — and other players from the 90's — contribute to the program in the future.

“Jason wanted to give back and he's doing that,” the coach said. “There were a lot of other talented players from that era still around this area. I'd love to see some of them help us out, even if it's just coming to an occasional practice or workout, or just talking to the kids.

“When we got back from Erie (after the playoff-clinching win), firetrucks led us into the parking lot and cars were lined up to greet our team. That's the way Butler football used to be. These kids got a taste of it.

“Hopefully, they'll get a lot more,” Christy added.