BUTLER TWP — First, it was a five-touchdown loss to county rival Seneca Valley. Then it was falliong victim to a slew of turnovers and a quick-strike attack in a 39-6 loss at Westinghouse.

Now Butler’s football team (4-3) has a date with Class 5A power Cathedral Prep (5-2) at 7 p.m. Friday at Art Bernardi Stadium.

“It doesn’t get any easier,” Golden Tornado coach Eric Christy said. “But we’re excited about the challenge. We need a good week of practice, then we’ll line up against them and see how we fare.”

Cathedral Prep has a new head coach this year in Mike Krahe, but the same powerful football team. Krahe replaced legendary Ramblers coach Mike Mischler, who won 214 games and five state championships in 20 years at Cathedral Prep before stepping down after last season.

Krahe was an assistant coach at Mercyhurst University for three years and at Lake Erie College for four before joining Mischler’s staff. He last coached with the Ramblers in 2019 before taking the head coaching position this year.

“I played for Coach Mischler at Prep,” Krahe said. “I know what this school stands for and what it believes in. I definitely have big shoes to fill, but I want to honor that tradition.”

The Ramblers have played against a Pennsylvania opponent only once so far in 2022 — shutting out McDowell, 41-0, two weeks ago. Prior to that, they opened the season with a 47-14 loss to Archbishop Hoban out of Akron, Ohio, defeated a pair of teams from Canada in Clarkson North (22-17) and West Toronto Prep (58-6), and dropped a 28-26 decision to St. Francis out of Hamburg, N.Y.

Last week, Cathedral Prep hammered winless Benedictine from Cleveland, 55-7.

“Part of our problem is the size of our school and availability of (area) opponents,” Krahe said. “The other is that, because we are a private school, a lot of teams won’t play us.”

The Ramblers do have a number of players being recruited by Division 1 and 2 schools, most notably 6-foot-4, 285-pound junior two-way tackle Jiavani Cooley. Pitt, Boston College and Syracuse are among schools interested in him.

Guard-tackle Lamonte Fuller, another junior who is 6-4, 280, is getting Division 1 looks. Quarterback Carter Barnes, at 6-4, 215, is no longer starting for Cathedral Prep, but is getting college looks nonetheless. The Ramblers have been going with 6-1 junior Luke Costello at quarterback. He’s thrown for 653 yards, seven touchdowns and only one interception.

Wide receivers Wakeem Page (23 catches-373 yards) and Camariyon Bridges (13-261) and safety Damario Crawford are also getting college looks.

“They don’t have any weaknesses anywhere,” Christy said. “They play a good schedule. They go against top talent and they have top talent. They will be a handful.

“I’ve never understood the boundary thing. If we bring someone in from outside the district, it’s recruiting. Private schools have no boundaries at all. That’s just the way it is. This game is a challenge to us and we have to embrace it.”

Suhtawn Lewis leads the Ramblers’ ground game with 714 yards and five touchdowns. He’s put together five 100-yard games. Datoure Hollingsworth has rushed for 225 yards and four TDs.

Defensively, middle linebacker Jyree Roberts has 45 tackles and three quarterback sacks.

“Playing quality opponents has definitely helped us,” Krahe said.

Butler quarterback Mac Schnur has thrown for 1,076 yards and 14 touchdowns, but was victimized by five interceptions last week. Dashawn Cox has 489 yards rushing and 269 more receiving. Ayden Davis continues to lead the Tornado with 14 catches for 190 yards and three TDs despite battling an injury the last three weeks.

Ryan Mclister has nine catches for 183 yards and four TDs, Braylon Littlejohn 11 catches for 157.

“Braylon stepped up as a leader last week,” Christy said. “He talked to his teammates, said what he felt he needed to say. It was good to see that.”

“Butler is a well-coached team that plays hard,” Krahe said. “Their quarterback is athletic. He keeps plays alive and can make plays down the field. We’re worried about him.”

Brock Popovich was named Butler’s Offensive Lineman of the Week for the sixth time in seven games.

“He’s having a special season and he’s earning some Division 2 college looks,” Christy said. “Brock is a senior and he’s become a leader on that line on both sides of the ball.”

Cathedral Prep leads the series between the teams, 4-3, including wins of 55-21 and 58-7 the past two years.