MEADVILLE — Everyone knew what Meadville’s gameplan was going into its matchup with Butler Friday night.

After the Golden Tornado struggled with run defense last week against Shaler, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Bulldogs planned to shove the ball down their throats. The only question was whether or not Butler would step up to stop it.

The Golden Tornado were instead plagued by a slow start in a 21-14 road loss.

A slow start and turnovers plagued the Golden Tornado in the first half. On the opening drive of the game, Meadville’s Brady Walker punched the ball into the endzone to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead. But when the Tornado’s first drive came; it felt like they were going to utilize the passing game to answer.

In their first two drives, Mac Schnur threw two interceptions, with the second going to Nicholas Williams, who took it 88 yards to the house.

After that, it looked as if Meadville was going to run away with the game. But neither team would even come close to the endzone until 30 seconds were left in the half. Walker once again scored and Butler was down, 21-0.

But after a big pass from Schnur to Ryan Mclister, in which Mclister appeared to be in the endzone but he was ruled down at the 1-yard line, momentum started to swing Butler’s way.

“They’re a good team, they’re a playoff caliber team and we knew that coming into the game,” Butler coach Eric Christy said. “We were slow to start in the first half and I’ll put that on me, because maybe our practices were a little too relaxed, but I told them at halftime we’re not going to accept that anymore.”

It felt like a different team took the field to begin the third quarter, but on the first drive the result was the same as the first half. Butler drove it deep inside Meadville’s 20, only to fumble the ball. But after getting the ball back, Schnur started to make some plays.

“Mac is a high-quality athlete and he’s a gamer, we’ve got to get him to have high quality work [all week] and keep that focus,” Christy said. “These guys follow him, when Mac is up, they’re up and when he’s down, they’re down, and you saw it in both halves.”

When Schnur finally got going, the energy shifted in the stadium. After a 15-yard touchdown scamper, Butler was right back in the game. Four minutes later, Schnur found Cox sitting in the endzone to pull them within seven.

But mistakes came back to haunt them. Butler managed to get the ball back once more and was poised to drive down the field, until a string of sacks ultimately ended the game. To Christy, the second half is what this team can be and should be, however.

“I thought the guys responded already in the second half after we challenged them, but what we need to do is put it together and not start in the second half,” Christy said. “We told them to feel this game and understand it, because when you win, you feel that high, and when you lose [it stings] and you can accept it or let it sink in and come out ready to work on Monday and finish what they started in the second half.”

Butler 0 0 6 8 — 14

Meadville 14 7 0 0 — 21

First Quarter

M — Brady Walker 7 run (Oliver Przepiora Kick), 6:07

M — Nicholas Williams 87 interception (Oliver Przepiora kick), 1:52

Second Quarter

M — Brady Walker 3 run (Oliver Przepiora kick), 0:30

Third Quarter

B — Mac Schnur 15 run ( Maxwell Giannski Kick failed), 1:14

Fourth Quarter

B — DaShawn Cox 7 pass from Mac Schnur (Two point conversion good), 9:55

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Butler, David Graef 5-28, Mac Schnur 1-15, Landon Dubyak 3-7, Landon Lacey 11-6, Dashawn Cox 2-(-4). Meadville, Brady Walker 33-146, Brighton Anderson 6-40, Gavin Longstreth 2-6, Amarri Lewis 2-(-6), Team 1-(-13).

Passing: Butler, Mac Schnur 11-23-181-2, Noah Ritchie 0-1-0. Meadville, Gavin Longstreth 2-3-41-1.

Receiving: Butler, Ayden Davis 5-55, Dashawn Cox 4-48, David Graef 2-45, Ryan Mclister 1-42. Meadville, Nicholas Williams 2-41.