BUTLER TWP — The Butler football team finally got the time-consuming drive it wanted — when it couldn't afford the time.

Golden Tornado running back Jake Thompson scored his second touchdown of the game on a 2-yard run, capping a 14-play, 50-yard drive that used 6 minutes, 10 seconds Friday night at Art Bernardi Stadium.

The touchdown came with only 1:46 left, however. And when Butler failed on an onside kick attempt, it dropped a 20-14, season-opening decision to New Castle.

"We just ran out of time," Butler coach Jeff McAnallen said." They had some people out of the game in the second half and we took advantage of it."

Butler managed only one first down in the first half while New Castle had four possessions inside the Tornado 30-yard line.

Despite all that, the Red Hurricane held only a 6-0 lead at halftime.

"We had opportunities to take control of this game and didn't do it," New Castle coach Frank Bongivengo said. "That's something we're going to have to work on."

In the meantime, the 'Canes used senior running back Keith Keene to work over the Tornado. He had 23 carries for 128 yards and scored all three New Castle touchdowns.

Keene caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback John Matarazzo in the second quarter. He scored on runs of 51 and 4 yards in the second half.

New Castle ran 32 plays to Butler's 16 in the first half. The 'Canes had a 26-yard touchdown pass to JaJuan Jay called back by a holding penalty. Three sacks on one series — one each by Chris White, Dylan O'Donnell and Steve Powers — wiped out another New Castle scoring threat.

Late in the half, Jay recovered a Butler fumble at the Tornado 29. On first down, however, Powers and Adam Steiner combined to nail Keene for a 6-yard loss. A procedure penalty knocked New Castle out of scoring range.

"Our defense did a great job of keeping them off the board and keeping us in this game," McAnallen said. "I felt good at halftime. I thought we were going to come back and win the game.

"We put the ball on the ground too much and gave them way too many plays offensively, though. When you give a team with that many weapons that many plays, they're going to burn you at some point."

Butler suffered five turnovers: three interceptions and two fumbles.

Still, the Tornado seemed to turn the momentum in the second half.

Thompson scored on a 33-yard run on a fourth-and-2 play with 25 seconds left in the third quarter, pulling Butler within 13-7.

A surprise onside kick was touched illegally by the Tornado, but New Castle went three-and-out. Punter Jesse Ambuster then booted the ball out of bounds at the Tornado 3-yard line.

After Butler punted from its end zone, Keene capped a 35-yard TD drive with his second rushing score with 7:56 left in the game.

"Talk about a big punt. We got one there. It turned things back in our favor," Bongivengo said.

The Tornado got within six points again on their ensuing 14-play drive, but time became an enemy they couldn't defeat.

"It was the first game for both teams and players were getting a little tired. They were getting the better of us toward the end there," Bongivengo admitted.

Butler hosts Norwin next Friday.