BUTLER TWP - Butler High football coach Garry Cathell couldn't help but wonder how his team would respond to early adversity this season.

He got his answer Friday night.

Punter Andrew Goettler mishandled a snap during the Golden Tornado's first possession, handing Kiski Area the ball on the Butler 21-yard line.

An interception by Butler's Corey Haley averted that threat, and the next time Goettler punted, he booted the ball 70 yards to set up the Tornado's first score en route to their 24-14 victory at Art Bernardi Stadium.

"The element we've been looking for in these kids … we found it tonight," Cathell said. "Andy Goettler is an all-conference punter. I wasn't worried about him bouncing back.

"Our entire team held together and played together. That's what's encouraging. There's a lot of things we can clean up, but it's nice to get off to a good start."

Following Haley's interception, Butler was forced to punt again. The line of scrimmage was the Tornado 24 and Goettler's punt sailed over the head of returner Mychal Skinner.

Skinner inadvertently touched the ball as he tried to retrieve it and Butler's Shane Snyder dove on it at the Kiski 6-yard line.

Quarterback Nick Monteleone was sacked on second down, but rolled away from pressure on third down and found Noah Hartung alone in the back of the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown pass.

Butler appeared set to get great field position again, but bobbled away a punt that the Cavaliers' Matt Hartford recovered at the Kiski 44.

The Cavaliers drove 56 yards in 10 plays, with Nate Kriger getting the tying touchdown from a yard out.

Again, Butler responded.

Monteleone's 45-yard pass to Andy Strutt on a sideline route keyed an eight-play drive in the final two minutes of the first half, setting up Chris Haley's 29-yard field goal with seven seconds left.

"We talked to the kids at halftime about how important our first possession would be in the second half," Cathell said. "We needed to drive the ball and establish something."

The Tornado received the kickoff to begin the second half and Bobby Alexander returned it 61 yards to the Kiski 30-yard line. Alexander capped a four-play scoring drive with a 9-yard run.

"We were looking for a three-and-out defensively and we let the kid return the ball to our 30," Kiski coach Chris Heater said. "They got to play on a short field at a critical point in this game.

Butler defensive end Jade Burka nailed Kriger for a 1-yard loss on an otherwise open screen pass and the Cavaliers went three-and-out on their next possession.Butler got the ball near midfield and marched 48 yards in nine plays. Monteleone scrambled loose on a third-and-16 play and found Jordan Roycroft for an 18-yard gain to keep possession.The touchdown was a 12-yard strike to Strutt, who made a lunging catch in the left corner of the end zone for a 24-7 Tornado lead."We should have sacked the kid (on third-and-16), then we should have defended the pass," Heater said. "It's hard to come back when you can't get your defense off the field."Monteleone threw for 126 yards and two touchdowns. He completed eight-of-10 passes in the second half.Kiski put together an 11-play, 68-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter and got the ball back with 8:21 left to play.Butler's Eric Petanovich and Tyler Kristophel combined to sack Skinner on second down and Dan D'Amore knocked away a fourth-down pass to end the Cavaliers' final threat.Skinner threw for only 56 yards and rushed for 36."He's a dangerous player and our goal defensively was to contain him and make him throw the ball," Cathell said. "We feel he's a better runner than passer.""Butler was an opportunistic team tonight," Heater said. "And we didn't play with much focus."The Tornado did lose two key players to knee injuries Friday. Third-year starting lineman Marcus Hough injured his MCL and will have a MRI done Saturday.Tri-captain and linebacker Phil Scialabba suffered cartilage damage and is out indefinitely. Both injuries occurred in the first half.