BUTLER TWP — Friday night featured udden victory — and shocking defeat.

Following a Butler turnover, Norwin kicker Brandon Horsman booted a 39-yard field goal on the final play of the game to give the Knights a 24-21 football victory at Art Bernardi Stadium.

"Both teams looked pretty even coming in and the game was played that way. We didn't hold onto the ball and it cost us," Butler coach Jeff McAnallen said.

The Golden Tornado (0-2) forced a Norwin punt late in the fourth quarter and took possession at their own 11-yard line with 1:13 remaining and the score tied.

Runs of 18 yards and 14 yards by Eli Christy — both on pitch plays — gave Butler a first down at its own 47-yard line with 23.5 seconds left.

"We had to see if we could run the ball out a ways before we could really think about scoring," McAnallen said. "Once we got out by midfield, we were thinking long field goal."

Instead, disaster awaited the Tornado.

When quarterback Cole Harvey fumbled a snap in the shotgun formation and lost seven yards, Butler called a timeout with 13.7 seconds left.

On the next play, Christy couldn't handle a Harvey pitchout and the ball got behind him before Norwin's Joel DeFelice fell on it. The Knights had possession at Butler's 24-yard line with 7.5 seconds to go.

Fullback DeFelice plunged forward for 2 yards and Norwin sent Horsman on to the field with 3.9 seconds left. His 39-yard kick sailed through the uprights as time expired.

Horsman is a first-year senior who never played football or soccer before.

"He showed up on the first day of camp asking for a chance to kick the football," Norwin coach Dan Conwell said. "We had no one else kicking at the time. If Brandon hadn't shown up, we would have groomed a kicker out of someone on the roster."

Horsman tried a 34-yard field goal late in the third quarter to snap a 14-14 deadlock, but the kick hit the right goalpost.

Conwell said he wasn't surprised Butler tried moving the ball in the final minute of the game.

"I would have done the same thing in Jeff's shoes," he said. "Why not? There's time on the clock and we both have good kickers."

The ill-fated pitch to Christy was designed to be the same running play that netted the wingback gains of 18 and 14 yards earlier in the possession.

"We thought we could catch them on it again and get out of bounds or maybe break one," McAnallen said.

Neither team ever led by more than a touchdown. Jake Thompson's 6-yard run capped a 10-play, 54-yard Butler drive in the first quarter. Norwin (2-0) answered with a 17-play, 70-yard scoring drive in the second period.

Harvey teamed up with Jarrod Oesterling for a 56-yard touchdown pass late in the first half, but the Knights answered again as Tim Petro connected with Christian Bryan for a 33-yard scoring toss 1:47 before halftime.

All but the first two plays of the third quarter were snapped in Butler territory. The Knights took advantage of the field position when K'Hari Singleton got loose for a 40-yard touchdown jaunt after Norwin took possession at the Tornado 40 following a punt.

The field position finally changed for Butler when Matt Pribis recovered a fumble at the Norwin 49 with 10:37 remaining.

Harvey tossed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Oesterling on the ensuing possession to tie the game.

"Jarrod had a tremendous game and Cole was making some plays in the passing game," McAnallen said.

After the game-tying PAT, Oesterling had to be assisted off the field.

"Someone rolled up his leg during the point after," McAnallen said. "We think it's just a knee sprain. The doctor doesn't suspect any ligament damage, but he'll be checked out."

Harvey threw for 138 yards. Brian Jendesky caught five of his nine completions.