Rapid response
Butler has answers for Norwin's surge in victory

By John Enrietto
Eagle Sports Editor

IRWIN— Negative plays and positive energy. The combination is working for Butler.
The Golden Tornado gave up two touchdowns in 14 seconds late in the second quarter and surrendered the lead at Norwin Friday night, only to respond with two scores of their own before halftime.
Butler then held on for a 26-20 football triumph, its second consecutive win on the road to begin the season.
"We gave up a couple of plays, but these kids are fighting hard,"Butler coach Jeff McAnallen said. "Ilike the way they're responding."
The Tornado gave up three leads last week at New Castle, only to regain the advantage each time for a 28-21 triumph.
A 10-0 advantage Friday at Norwin evaporated quickly.
Quarterback Cole Harvey capped a 41-yard drive, which was set up by Tony Fudoli's blocked field goal, with a 4-yard scoring run five minutes into the game. Ryan Soule added a 23-yard field goal minutes later after Butler recovered a fumble at the Norwin 18-yard line.
With 5:59 left in the half, however, Knights fullback Joel DeFelice broke loose up the middle for a 55-yard scoring jaunt.
On Butler's next play from scrimmage, Harvey was intercepted by Alex Dennison, who returned the pick 32 yards for a score. Just like that, Norwin had a 13-10 lead.
And, just like that, Butler responded.
Fudoli carried the ball on four straight plays — the fourth being a 43-yard touchdown run — and the Tornado were back in front. A botched snap on the PATresulted in an incomplete pass and the score was 16-13.
After Norwin went three-and-out, courtesy of a third-down sack by Jordan Emrick and T.J. Lesniewski, Butler struck again.
Fudoli got loose on a 21-yard run and Harvey scrambled 12 yards for a score on a third-and-8 play. Receiver Nathan Neff blocked two defenders on the play, allowing the quarterback to sneak into the right corner of the end zone 41 seconds before halftime.
Norwin ate up most of the third quarter with one possession, keeping the ball for 13 plays while taking 6:19 off the clock. But the drive ended in disaster.
On first down from the Butler 11, quarterback Dennison was drilled from behind by Fudoli and fumbled the football. Lesniewski fell on it at the 20-yard line, ending the possession.
"We were missing assignments up front all night,"Norwin coach Dan Conwell said. "At times, Butler overpowered us. They came in here and socked us in the mouth tonight."
Dennison took another hit while attempting a deep pass early in the fourth quarter. The ball came down well short of the receiver and Josh Reddick intercepted, returning the theft eight yards to Norwin's 32.
Soule booted a 32-yard field goal eight plays later and Butler's lead was 26-13 with 6:10 left in the game.
Norwin (1-1) answered with a seven-play, 73-yard drive, highlighted by Dennison passes of 35 and 14 yards to Bryan, the latter play for a touchdown with 4:38 remaining.
Needing to kill some time, the Tornado were able to do so. They kept the ball for 10 plays and forced Norwin to use all of its timeouts on defense.
"Our goal was to use 20 to 25 players tonight,"McAnallen said. "We noticed on the film that Norwin only used 12 to 15 players last week. We felt we could wear them down late in the game."
By the time the Knights regained possession on a punt, they were backed up at their own 13-yard line with 1:04 remaining.
"I don't know that we got worn down,"Conwell said. "I didn't talk to the kids about that yet. I think they just beat us at the line of scrimmage."
Notes:Fudoli rushed for 95 yards, blocked a field goal and had two sacks. ... The Tornado outrushed Norwin 235-88. ... Butler is still scheduled to host Penn Hills and debut the revamped Art Bernardi Stadium Friday night. There is only a slight chance the game will be moved to Penn Hills.