BUTLER TWP — When it comes to high school sports, athletes figure they're going to play by the time they're seniors.

Or be on the varsity squad, at least.

That's not always the case in hockey.

Butler had five seniors this past season — Troy Bauer, Tim Diamond, Shayne Wissinger, Jacob Longdon and Brady Johnson — suit up for the junior varsity team. They were rarely called up to dress for the varsity, if at all.

And they didn't mind a bit.

“These kids just want to play and there are only so many roster spots,” Butler junior varsity coach Chris Anderson said. “We usually have a couple of seniors on the JV team.

“Bethel Park had nine or 10 seniors on its JV team last year. You do what you can to get on the ice.”

All five of these players contributed to Butler's JV reaching the PIHL Tier II playoffs this season with a 6-10 record. The Golden Tornado lost in the first round.

The quintet combined to score 26 of the team's 65 goals.

Bauer had two goals and three assists. He suffered a fractured hip his junior year, missing half the season before returning for his senior campaign.

“My goal was to get to the varsity this year,” said Bauer, in his third year of ice hockey after playing In-Line for six years. “If I didn't get hurt, I may have gotten there.

“There was no way I was giving it up. Our whole organization is like a family.”

Johnson, a defenseman, has been playing hockey since his freshman year. He had a goal and three assists this season.

“I got called up (to varsity) here and there,” he said. “But I was fine playing JV. As seniors, we did take on a bit of a leadership role.

“It was important to show the younger kids the way, get them acclimated to the coaches and what they expect.”

Johnson said he enjoyed the environment of Butler hockey.

“We're all so close. We love playing hockey and being teammates,” he said.

Diamond was a winger who netted six goals for the JV squad.

He played hockey with the Armstrong Arrows and played In-Line hockey for seven years. He joined the Butler team his sophomore year.

“I plan to keep playing after I graduate,” Diamond said. “I'll play in a men's league someplace.

“I play lacrosse, too. Like hockey, I love the physical aspect and that it's a fast-paced sport.”

Diamond agreed with his teammates about the positive atmosphere surrounding the team.

“They will always be my friends and I'll always have great memories,” he said.

Wissinger has been involved with hockey since the age of 5. He played dek hockey and In-Line for years before hitting the ice three years ago.

The center-left wing scored seven goals and added five assists this season.

“It never bothered me, not playing varsity,” Wissinger said. “I play for the love of the game. I've enjoyed the time I've spent with everybody.”

Longdon was the top scorer among the seniors, tallying 10 goals and six assists. He was the second-leading goal-scorer on the team, trailing only Kyle Grasha (11 goals).

“I didn't mind staying down at junior varsity because I was used to Coach Anderson and what he expected from us,” Longdon said. “You get used to a coach's tactics and his system and it makes you a better player.

“I was hoping we could make a run at the (JV) championship. It just didn't work out.”

Butler dropped a 2-1 decision to Peters Township in the opening round of the PIHL Tier 2 junior varsity playoffs.

“As an older player, I tried to be a role model,” Longdon said. “I thought we did some good things as a team. We were effective when he had puck control and good teamwork.”

Anderson said his five seniors were all “border line varsity, but you want them to get ice time and the junior varsity was the place for them to get it.

“I'm glad we had them. They're competitive kids and their attitudes were fantastic. It was easy to see how much they enjoyed playing hockey,” he added.