No. 3 Butler’s defense posts second straight shutout (+video)
EL DORADO — It didn’t take long for No. 3 Butler Community College to get things going on Saturday afternoon at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex.
About 13 seconds, to be exact. Which is how long it took Byron Pringle to catch the opening kickoff and sprint down the Butler sideline 93 yards for a touchdown that the Grizzlies used as a spark on the way to staying unbeaten with a 42-0 win over Iowa Central.
“That play did exactly what we had wanted,” Butler coach Tim Schaffner said. “This was our first afternoon start this season, and we talked about wanting to start fast. When we can go just 13 seconds into the game and already have a 7-0 lead, that gives a great mindset for our entire football team.
Butler’s defense was equally as sharp, allowing just 156 total yards and stopping Iowa Central (1-4) on all 14 third-down attempts. It was the second straight shutout for Butler (6-0), following last Saturday’s 39-0 win over Air Force Prep. It was also the first back-to-back shutouts for Butler since 2008.
“I feel really good about this accomplishment,” Schaffner said. “Shutouts are so hard to come by anymore in today’s offensive mind of football. So to be able to put together eight quarters and play well is exciting for us.”
Butler’s offense was led by freshman quarterback and Bishop Carroll product Colton Howell who started his third game this season in place of Justice Hansen, who sat out with an injury but had started the last three games.. Howell completed 12 of 23 passes for 200 yards and one touchdown, and also ran for two touchdowns.
“Offensively we didn’t do as well as we’d like to have done,” Howell said. “That shows you how our coaches demand a lot of us. There are not a lot of teams in the country that can win 42-0 and still not be 100 percent happy with their performance.”
Butler’s final score came after Jake Seurer intercepted Iowa Central’s Corey Bertini in the fourth quarter and returned it 70 yards, setting up a 28-yard touchdown run by KicKobe McCray on the next play.
“I was just in the right place at the right time I guess,” Seurer said. “I just read the ball and caught it, then started heading the other way following my blockers, I guess I just ran out of gas.”
Iowa Central | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
Northwest | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | — | 42 |
B — Pringle 93 kick return (Brewer kick)
B — McCrary 6 run (Brewer kick)
B — Howell 1 run (Brewer kick)
B — Pringle 72 pass from Howell (Brewer kick)
B — Howell 3 run (Brewer kick)
B — McCrary 28 run (Brewer kick)
Individual statistics
Rushing—Iowa Central, Feldpausch 10-57, Sanders 7-20, Brecker 2-13, Scott 1-2, Murphy 1-(-1), Bertini 10-(-34). Butler, McCrary 17-91, Abdul 11-33, Thomas 2-32, Howell 6-23, Autry 3-10, Johnson 1-7, McGaugh 2-3, Crain 1-1.
Passing—Iowa Central, Bertini 14-24-1-99. Butler, Howell 12-23-1-200.
Receiving—Iowa Central, Hanson 4-34, Glass 4-30, Sarver 2-4, Feldpausch 1-11, Wolfe 1-8, Wiekamp 1-7, Sanders 1-5. Butler, Pringle 1-72, Burris 3-19, McLaughlin 2-43, McElroy 2-41, Thomas 2-19, Jones 1-11, Johnson 1-(-5).
This story was originally published October 3, 2015 at 5:52 PM with the headline "No. 3 Butler’s defense posts second straight shutout (+video)."