BUTLER TWP— Winning soccer games is nothing new for Troy Mohney.

The first-year Butler boys soccer coach holds the school record for goals scored in a season and a career, and he played on the team that reached the state semifinals in 1992 and quarterfinals in 1993.

He also was a member of the Golden Tornado section championship squads of 1993 and 1994 — the last time Butler won a section title in boys soccer.

"That's something I'd like to change," he said of the 12-year drought since his alma mater earned section gold.

He's well on the way to doing so.

After Monday's 2-all tie at Norwin, Butler -1s 10-0-1 — the only unbeaten team in WPIALClass AAA— and has a 1Z\x-game lead in the section standings at the midway point.

"I'm not at all surprised by what they're doing,"Hampton coach Chuck Kelley said. "That program is in good hands with Troy.

"They're more experienced, more aggressive — and their style looks similar to mine."

It should. Mohney was Kelley's assistant coach last year at Butler. Kelley resigned after last season to accept the Hampton post, where he spent a few years as an assistant himself.

Mohney had applied for the head coaching job at Butler last year, losing out to Kelley.

"God works in mysterious ways sometimes and that was one of them,"Mohney said. "I'm a much better coach now than I would have been had I gotten the job last year.

"I watched and learned under Chuck. I had no preconceived notions about coaching. I adopted his philosophies about defense and allowed the kids to be more creative on offense."

Butler finished 17-4 under Kelley last year, reaching the WPIALplayoffs for the first time in five years.

Only two players graduated from that team, enabling Mohney to inherit an experienced roster.

When Mohney played soccer for Butler, current high school principal Jeff Schnur was his coach. Mohney scored 37 goals in a season and 63 in his career under Schnur, then went on to St. Francis College and led that team in scoring.

"When Chuck got the job over me last year, Jeff recommended my name to him as his assistant,"Mohney said.

"Getting the job this year, knowing the talent and experience we had, the next logical step seemed to be letting the kids create a little more offensively."

As a result, the Tornado have scored 34 goals this season while allowing only eight. Doug Moran leads the team with 13 goals. Wade Grubbs has seven tallies.

"Coach Mohney is a little more connected with us,"Grubbs said. "He's from Butler, he's played here and we can identify with him. We can talk to him about certain things we couldn't talk about with Coach Kelley."

Butler averaged a little over a goal a game last season. This year, the Tornado are scoring 3.4 goals per game and have scored at least two goals in every game.

Mohney said his school records have helped gain him respect as a coach.

"The kids know I hold those (goal-scoring) marks," he said. "When I talk about offense, they tend to listen."

And they want the section title as badly as he does.

"We're still playing disciplined, but we're more of an offensive team now,"senior Kevin McCune said. "We're attacking the goal whenever we get the chance. It's exciting being able to play that way."

Ben Horner, another one of six seniors in Butler's starting lineup, said the team knew it would start winning last year.

"We've all been playing together since we were much younger," he said. "We've gotten used to each other. We know each other and that's an important part of soccer.

"Chuck and Troy are both big on discipline. Where Chuck gets a lead and relies on defense, Troy lets us be a little more aggressive. As a team, our eyes are on that section championship."

Mohney knows that title is not far away.

"This is a confident team and a team that works the ball well together," he said. "I know we're hard to defend.

"Winning the section as a coach would mean a lot to me. I'm as passionate about this game as I was as a player, probably more. I love it."