BUTLER TWP — More time to think. More time to prepare — for an eventual time to erase.

Such is the mind-set of the Butler High School football team as its game at McDowell this past weekend was canceled due to a COVID-19 situation at the Erie-based school.

Butler (0-4) has two games remaining this season, home contests against Erie (1-2) and Slippery Rock (2-3) at Art Bernardi Stadium.

“Two games we should be very competitive in,” Golden Tornado coach Eric Christy said.

Butler is hungry to end a 24-game losing streak dating back to the beginning of the 2018 season. The Tornado have been outscored by an average of 48-11 during that skid.

Their closest game during the streak was Sept. 26 at Veterans Stadium, a 35-25 loss to Erie. Butler led that game 12-0 early and pulled within 21-18 with 10 minutes left on a 31-yard touchdown run by Julian Jones.

Justin Kabay caught a 23-yard scoring pass with a minute left in the first half that would have given the team an 11 or 12-point lead heading into intermission. An illegal shift penalty wiped out that touchdown.

Butler went on to give up 380 yards rushing and lost leading tackler Evan Orloski for the season to a knee injury in the loss.

“We've been doing a lot of soul-searching,” Christy said. “We know what they (Erie) do now. They run basic stuff. I feel like we match up with them.

“We know we have to play tougher. Our team is filled with nice guys and nobody likes the bully. On the field is another mind-set. This is a sport where the bully wins.

“We need to finish plays, get guys on the ground. This streak is messing with us mentally,” Christy added.

Translation: It's time to get rid of it.

Butler has four seniors — Kabay, Jones, Hayden Iman and Colin Look — who have been with the team all four years.

“We need to wrap up (tackles),” Iman said. “We know we can win. It's a matter of execution.”

Look grew up in Richmond, Va., and played youth football there through eighth grade before his family moved to Butler.

“My teams have always lost,” said Look, a defensive back and one of Butler's leading tacklers. “I think we won one game the whole time I played in Virginia.

“I just love playing football. We all do. I tried basketball (in Richmond), but it didn't have the physicality and intensity I was looking for.”

Look said he would love to get a win before his final high school season is through, “but the losses don't define us. I came to this town knowing no one. Four years later, the best friends I have are on this football team. That's what's important.”

Iman, Kabay and Jones were all teammates on a Butler Area Midget Fooball League varsity team that lost just two games and reached the United Youth Football League (UYFL) playoffs.

They are the only three members of that team still playing on Butler's high school team.

“A lot of those guys saw the losing going on up here ... They didn't want to go through it. They didn't want to be part of it,” Iman admitted.

“I've been playing since second grade, flag football with the East Butler Bulldogs. I love football. I just love being around it, playing it.”

Jones began playing football in third grade. He was in the Penn Hills School District at the time. He's been in Butler since fifth grade.

He sees the importance of the Tornado's final two games.

“If we can get a couple of wins, show that progress is being made, we can bring more kids back,” Jones said. “That's definitely something I want to do for this program before I leave.

“I know how hard we play. I know no one's given up at any point. I've enjoyed this experience the last four years.”

Kabay has been playing football since third grade, dating back to when East Butler had is own team in the BAMFL.

“A lot of kids have just lost interest in football over the years,” Kabay said. “They got to high school and went on to play other sports.

“I don't know how important these last two games are to the future of the (football) program. We just want to win a game.”

Like Look, Kabay values football for more than what's on the scoreboard.

“These are more than my teammates. They're my best friends,” he said.