Butler football turns tide in 2nd half, rallies to beat Connellsville as Mark Klemz scores 4 TDs
BUTLER TWP — Butler needed a break. It got more than one.
The Golden Tornado parlayed a late first-half score and a pair of fumble recoveries into a come-from-behind 44-27 football victory over Connellsville at Art Bernardi Stadium on Friday night.
Butler (4-2) trailed 21-7 — allowing touchdown drives of 76, 60 and 67 yards on the Falcons’ first three possessions — before things radically changed.
Connellsville (1-5) turned the ball over on downs at the Butler 35 with 51 seconds left in the half. A 44-yard gain on a screen pass to Mark Klemz on third-and-15 was followed by Nicco Baggetta’s 26-yard scoring toss to Mason Lacey with 25 seconds left in the half.
“We got a little greedy there (at the end of the half),” Connellsville coach Jace McClean said. “We should have killed the clock, but instead we went backwards.”
“Big momentum switch for us,” Tornado senior lineman Lucas Martin said.
Butler took the kickoff to begin the second half and promptly marched 72 yards in five plays. Klemz, who scored four touchdowns on the night, scored on a 13-yard run. The PAT sailed wide left and the Tornado still trailed 21-20.
Not for long.
Two plays later, a Connellsville runner fumbled the ball directly into safety Tyson Pino’s hands. Pino raced 8 yards for the go-ahead score.
The Falcons fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Nash Cuffman recovering for Butler. Klemz scored on an 18-yard run, and the Tornado had a 36-21 lead. Baggetta scored on a pair of two-point conversion runs during the rally.
After a Connellsville turnover on downs, Butler marched 69 yards in eight plays. Deacon Simko pulled in a 36-yard pass to set up a 2-yard Klemz touchdown run. And Simko scored on a conversion run to complete a 30-point third quarter for the Tornado.
“In reality, the game was over after those two fumbles,” Martin said. “Our offense got going, and it was just a matter of the clock running out.”
Butler recognized its 14 seniors before the game.
“Senior night, senior leadership,” Tornado coach Eric Christy said. “That’s what got this done tonight. All of our seniors played, and the kids never stopped believing.”
Klemz led Butler with 21 carries for 146 yards and three scores. He caught two passes for 65 yards and a touchdown, as well. He now has 701 yards and 16 rushing TDs this season.
“I scored the four touchdowns and it looks like I get the credit, but I give credit to our O-line for breaking open holes,” Klemz said. “I love all of those guys. It felt great to get our running game going again. Just keep pounding the rock.”
Baggetta threw for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for another 50 yards.
Connellsville racked up 224 yards of offense in the first half but managed only 120 in the final two quarters. The Falcons netted only 47 yards offensively in the second half before putting together a late 77-yard scoring drive.
“Those fumbles hurt. We never bounced back from those,” McClean said. “That’s been our M.O. for the past couple of years. Something goes wrong, we hang our heads.
“Butler made the plays when they had to. Things just snowballed on us really quick.”
Jayden Mickens rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown for the Falcons. Caden Matthews threw for 165 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 48 and a score.
Martin admitted the Tornado came out flat at the beginning of the game.
“We talked about it, started plugging the gaps and that was it,” he said. “I love the way we turned this game (around).”
The Tornado remain at home next week, hosting University (W.Va.) at 7 p.m.
“We got our running game going, and that was great to see,” Christy said of the win. “We came up with those turnovers and everything just came together. I’m proud of these kids.”
Connellsville 14 7 0 6 — 27
Butler 7 7 30 0 — 44
First quarter
C — Dylan Lytle 1 run (Hunter Brown kick), 10:13
C — Caden Matthews 45 run (Brown kick), 5:43
B — Mark Klemz 21 pass from Nicco Baggetta (Alex Morris kick), :11
Second quarter
C — Rocco Farrell 40 pass from Matthews (Brown kick), 9:10
B — Mason Lacey 26 pass from Baggetta (Morris kick), :25
Third quarter
B — Klemz 13 run (kick failed), 9:18
B — Tyson Pino 8 fumble return (Baggetta run), 8:43
B — Klemz 18 run (Baggetta run), 7:25
B — Klemz 2 run (Deacon Simko run), 1:58
Fourth quarter
C — Jayden Mickens 4 run (kick blocked), 4:12
Individual Statistics
Passing: Connellsville, Caden Matthews 11-17-165-0, Jeffrey Nicholson 0-1-0-1. Butler, Nicco Baggetta 9-17-157-0.
Rushing: Connellsville, Caden Matthews 9-48, Jayden Mickens 12-93, Linkon Keller 5-33, Dylan Lytle 4-6, Russell Miller 1-(-1). Butler, Nicco Baggetta 13-50, Mark Klemz 21-146, Max Rihn 3-(-2), TEAM 1-(-14), Deacon Simko 1-2.
Receiving: Connellsville, Christian Thomas 4-74, Linkon Keller 2-24, Rocco Farrell 3-45, Parker Lembo 1-6, Geno Farrell 1-16. Butler, Tyson Pino 2-8, Deacon Simko 3-54, Mark Klemz 2-65, Jordan Vicari 1-3, Mason Lacey 1-26.
