Butler Holds Off Taylor, 28-20
PHOTO GALLERY
AUDIO COVERAGE - Andrew Huck | Jordan Ridley | Joe Cheshire | Eddie McHale
INDIANAPOLIS, IND. -- Junior Andrew Huck passed for 288 yards
and two touchdowns and Butler held off visiting Taylor to post a
28-20 win in a non-league football game at the newly renovated
Butler Bowl on Saturday (Sept. 18.). The victory lifted the
Bulldogs to 2-1 on the young season.
Huck, who completed 29 of 38 passes in the game, threw both of his
touchdown tosses in the second quarter to help the Bulldogs to a
21-7 halftime lead. He hit senior Eddie McHale with a 46-yard
strike to give Butler the lead for good at 14-7 with 13:47
remaining in the second period and then added a three-yard scoring
aerial to junior Zach Watkins with 30 second left in the half.
After missing on five of his first six passes, Huck caught fire
and completed 28 of his final 32 attempts!
“(Andrew) does a great job of getting everyone in the right
place,” said Butler head coach Jeff Voris after the
game. “He shook off a slow start and really found his
rhythm today.”
The Bulldogs, who trailed 7-0 after one quarter, tied the game
early in the second period on a one-yard run by senior
Scott Gray. His touchdown run, the 23rd of
his career, finished a 72-yard drive that included back-to-back
18-yard passes from Huck, first to Jordan Koopman and then to Jeff
Larsen.
McHale’s touchdown came on the first play following a
20-yard punt return by senior Tadd Dombart, while Watkins set the
stage for his own touchdown grab with a spectacular lay-out catch
for 27 yards.
The Bulldogs needed all of the 21 first half points.
Taylor (1-2) took an early lead in the game on a one-yard run by
Taylor Johnson in the first quarter. The touchdown capped a
92-yard drive, highlighted by a 42-yard Shaun Addison to Trenton
Schmale pass.
The Trojans also struck first in the second half, taking advantage
of a Matt Kobli fumble at the Butler 43-yard line. Johnson
finished the scoring drive with a six-yard touchdown run to cut
Butler’s lead to seven points.
Kobli put the Bulldogs back in front by 14 with a five-yard
scoring run early in the fourth period, but the visitors struck
again with 3:02 remaining on a one-yard run by Addison. The
Trojans missed on their extra-point kick attempt, and then Watkins
recovered the visitors’ onsides kick attempt to seal the
win.
“Anytime you win you’re excited,” added
Voris.
The Bulldogs rolled up 466 yards in total offense, but were
hampered by 15 penalties. Taylor finished with 305 total
yards.
Gray led the Bulldogs’ ground game with 88 rushing yards on
17 carries, while Kobli added 34. Koopman and Watkins both
had nine receptions in the game. Koopman had a team-high 95
receiving yards, while Watkins added 89.
Sophomore Jordan Ridley led Butler’s defense for the second
straight game with 11 total tackles. Junior Andy Dauch added
seven tackles and a pair of pass breakups.
The Bulldogs, league co-champs a year ago, will begin Pioneer
Football League play on Saturday, Sept. 25, at San Diego.
