Change of Scenery
Simply put, Butler needed a break.
Its new football schedule may or may not give the Golden Tornado one, though football players in the school believe it will.
“Our schedule last year had four of the top 10 Class 6A teams in the state on it,” junior quarterback Cooper Baxter said. “Our program being where it is .... that was overwhelming at times.”
Butler played much of the 2019 season — its second successive winless campaign — with 28 healthy players. This year's roster has 58 as the Tornado preps for the 2020 opener.
Butler football will be competing in District 10 this fall and next. While the Tornado will be playing the likes of McDowell, Cathedral Prep and Erie, they will no longer be lining up against Pine-Richland, Central Catholic and North Allegheny.
“I believe that's made a difference in our numbers,” junior tight end Charlie Kreinbucher said. “A lot of guys have come back. It was intimidating, going up against those power programs.
“A lot of that fear factor is gone. We believe we can compete. No one has to be afraid anymore. We can just line up and play football.”
Senior running back-linebacker Justin Kabay admitted that Butler's WPIAL schedule has worked against the program in recent years.
“It became a mind-set thing,” he said. “You see the other sideline having three times as many players as you have — and you know they're good — it plays with your head.
“There were times we were beaten before the game even started.”
At the same time, Kabay isn't discounting this year's schedule.
“We know we have to get ready. Those (District 10) schools have good athletes, too,” he said.
Senior running back-linebacker Evan Orloski believes the new schedule has pumped new life into Butler football.
“When you have 28 players going up against Central Catholic and their 100-plus, it's discouraging,” Orloski said. “I mean, you show up, you play hard, but it's a numbers game. Central didn't even have to play its best players and they wore us down.
“Now we have an opportunity to play teams we can be competitive against. It's changed the outlook of the whole program.”
Baxter said that “just playing new teams we haven't seen before provides a different feel.”
Steven Green is a senior running back-defensive back who returned to football this year after not playing in 2019.
“Playing in District 10 is a good thing for us,” Green said. “We know it's a challenge like every year, but it's a fresh challenge. We're all fired up about it.”
Senior wide receiver-defensive back Colin Look agreed.
“We still have to show up and play hard, play well,” Look said. “That hasn't changed. But now we believe we can compete andhave a legitinate chance to beat the teams on our schedule.
“That feeling hasn't been here in a while.”
Regardless of how the 2020 season goes for Butler on the scoreboard, the impact of joining District 10 football has already been felt.
“All you have to do is look at the size of this year's roster compared to last,” Kreinbucher said.
