The Butler football team remained undefeated in Pioneer League play as they defeated rival Valparaiso 56-17.

The Bulldogs (4-2, 3-0) were led by quarterback Matt Lancaster’s 246 yards and three touchdowns, as he played only the first half.

Lancaster finished the first half with a 41-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver JT Mesch to give the Bulldogs a 42-3 lead over the Crusaders (0-5, 0-2) at the break.

Sophomore backup Wade Markley took over in the second half, throwing for 90 yards and one touchdown and completing eight of 14 pass attempts.

Running back Trae Heeter added three scores on the ground for Butler, all in the first nine minutes of the game.

Butler totaled 598 yards of total offense, with 336 passing yards combined between Lancaster and Markley. The Bulldogs rushed for 262 yards spread out with six different ball carriers.

Former quarterback Tom Judge caught four passes for a career high 114 yards at wide receiver.

The defense used three fumble recoveries, two of which were on the Crusaders’ first two possessions to hold their rival to just 263 yards of total offense.

Defensive back Sean Grady led the team with nine tackles, while Paul Yanow recorded eight.

The Butler football team fell short of a comeback in its season opener against Western Illinois.

The Bulldogs trailed 23-0 late in the third quarter before the offense showed its first signs of life in the season.

Junior running back Trae Heeter scored on a 5-yard run with four minutes remaining in the quarter to make the score 23-7. The Bulldogs snuck an onside kick past the Leathernecks (1-0) but were unable to capitalize.
Redshirt junior Sean Grady intercepted a pass that set up the team’s next scoring drive.

Grady said it was a big spark for the Bulldogs (0-1).

“We hadn’t been able to get a turnover all game, and as a defense we really look to put the offense in a good situation by turnovers,” Grady said.

On the ensuing drive, former quarterback Tom Judge made a circus catch for the Bulldogs (0-1) to get the drive moving.

On the next play, redshirt junior quarterback Matt Lancaster connected on another long screen to Heeter before running the ball into the end zone on the final play of the drive.

On the 2-point conversion attempt, Butler ran a reverse pass from Judge to make it a one-possession game, 23-15.

“The defense helped the offense, and the offense capitalized,” coach Jeff Voris said.

By getting the 2-point conversion, Voris said they felt completing the comeback was doable.

With two minutes remaining the Bulldogs were able to use their timeouts to get the ball back on their own 1-yard line.

Butler used four complete passes and three first downs to get the ball to the Western Illinois 7-yard line. The game clock was malfunctioning during the drive, and the officials kept the time on the field.

“You never know what’s going to happen with the clock,and the officials,” Lancaster said. “It’s just a matter of going out there and competing and worrying about ourselves.”

Lancaster completed a pass to Heeter, who attempted to get out of bounds but was brought down at the 4-yard line. The game clock ran out, and the Bulldogs’ 95-yard drive came up short.

“It was a little adversity thrown at us, and we needed to respond to it a little bit differently to get it done,” Voris said.

The Bulldogs will be playing under the lights for the first time since 1941 on Saturday.

Voris said he knows the atmosphere will be special, but his team is preparing the same way as it always does.

“We understand it’s a big game,” Voris said. “It’s a game that people are going to want to attend just because of the uniqueness of the lights.”

The Butler football team trailed Western Illinois 23-0 late in the third quarter before the offense showed its first sign of life in the season opener.

Trae Heeter scored on a 5-yard run with 4:00 remaining in the quarter to make the score 23-7. The Bulldogs tried to get  an onside kick past the Leathernecks (1-0) but were unable to capitalize.

Defensive back Sean Grady made an important interception that would set up the team’s next score.

On the ensuing drive former quarterback Tom Judge made a circus catch for the Bulldogs (0-1) to get the drive moving. On the next play, red-shirt junior quarterback Matt Lancaster connected on another long screen to Heeter before running the ball into the end zone himself on the next play.

On the 2-point-conversion  Butler ran a reverse pass from Judge and cut the deficit to 23-15 with just over 7:00 remaining.

The Bulldogs were able to use their timeouts to get the ball back with 2:00 remaining  on their own 1-yard line.

Butler used four complete passes and three first downs to get the ball to the Western Illinois 7-yard line.

The game clock was malfunctioning during the drive and time was being kept by the officials on the field.

Lancaster completed a pass to Heeter who attempted to get out of bounds but was brought down at the 4-yard line. The game clock ran out and the Bulldogs 95-yard drive came up just short.

Butler’s next game will be Saturday, Sept. 8 at 6:00 at the Butler Bowl. The home-opener is against Franklin College.

Three different Butler quarterbacks hit the turf in front of a crowd of more than 4,000 at the Butler Bowl Saturday, but their combined efforts were no match for Marist senior quarterback Tommy Reilly.

Reilly’s 283 passing yards and two touchdowns led the Red Foxes (3-5, 2-3) to a 28-10 win over the Bulldogs (4-4, 2-3).

“We knew they were a good team coming in,” Butler coach Jeff Voris said. “Our guys played with great effort, but Marist played better.”

Despite the final score, it was Butler who came out with a strong start.

Just three plays into the first half, senior defensive back Jack McKenna nabbed an interception at the Red Foxes’ 26-yard line.

The Bulldogs could not come up with a touchdown off the drive, but senior kicker David Lang put Butler on the scoreboard with a 28-yard field goal.

It marked the last time Butler would score in the first half.

“We came out really hyped up, but they outplayed us, and we just didn’t respond,” sophomore cornerback Kevin Cook said.

With 5:38 left in the first quarter, Reilly connected on a 29-yard pass to junior tight end Anthony Calcagni to give Marist a 7-3 advantage.

The second half saw two more touchdowns for the Red Foxes on a 4-yard pass by Reilly and a 1-yard run by senior running back Matt Gray. The scores gave Marist a 21-3 lead going into the locker room.

The Bulldogs were hit with two key injuries at the end of the second quarter as well.

Senior linebacker Nick Caldicott was helped off the field after suffering an injury during a tackle, and senior quarterback Andrew Huck suffered a shoulder injury on the last play of the half.

Play was much closer in the second half, with Butler holding Marist to one touchdown and scoring one as well.

“We weren’t going to bend over and let this happen,” Cook said. “There was a lot of good leadership showing at halftime.”

Things began to look bleak for the Bulldogs when the Red Foxes scored another touchdown, stretching their lead to 28-3.

Butler made the game respectable by scoring the final touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter, closing the deficit to 28-10.

Butler freshman quarterback Wade Markley recorded his first collegiate touchdown pass with a 29-yard toss to senior wide receiver Jeff Larsen.

“Those guys were put in a really tough situation,” Voris said. “I thought they did well for the situation they were in.”

Markley completed five of his six pass attempts for 83 yards in relief of Huck and redshirt sophomore Tom Judge.

Reilly was the star of the game though. He completed 21 of 24 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

Marist held a 38:58–21:02 advantage in time of possession by the end of the game and outgained Butler 431-284.

Senior defensive back Andy Dauch led the team in tackles with a career-high 14 stops.

“[Dauch] is a good football player,” Voris said. “He does his job, and he’s an outstanding leader in the locker room.”

Junior linebacker Jordan Ridley tallied 12 tackles for the Bulldogs. He is currently leading the Pioneer Football League in tackles.

After an off-day this Saturday, the Bulldogs will be back in the Butler Bowl against Davidson Saturday, Nov. 5 at noon.