HIGHLAND, Kan. – The Butler football team, ranked fourth in the NJCAA, broke the school record for points scored in a game in an 89-0 win over the Highland Scotties at Kessinger Field.
Butler scored touchdowns on its first four possessions in the first quarter and led 41-0 at halftime.
"I was really excited about the way we started," Butler Coach Troy Morrell said. "We gave up a big kickoff return to start the game, but after that it was a day for the Grizzlies. I was proud of the way our guys approached the game and were focused.
"We will look at the film and see things that need corrected, but overall it was a great performance," Morrell said.
In the second half, Butler took advantage of three interceptions that were all returned for touchdowns – one each by Dylan Schellenburg, Cortez Webb and Tate Omli.
"It was unbelievable," Morrell said. "They were in position to cover the pass and we had good pressure on the quarterback. To get three plays like that was huge. It took the life right out of them at the start of the second half."
Butler scored 34 points in the third quarter, largely due to those interception returns. The Grizzlies, who did not throw a single pass in the second half, scored two final touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
The final touchdown, which came on a 2-yard run by fullback Scott Lester with 6:56 to play, was the record-breaking score. Butler's previous high for points in a game was 84, which it has done twice – in an 84-12 win at Highland in 2000 and in an 84-7 win over Dodge City in 1999.
The Grizzlies scored 12 touchdowns, which ties the school record for touchdowns in a game. Butler also got two field goals from Conner Frazell in the second quarter. Frazell had 17 points in the game, making all 11 extra point kicks attempted in addition to the field goals.
Dreamius Smith was Butler's only player with multiple touchdowns, scoring on a 26-yard run in the second quarter and a 51-yard run in the third quarter. He fi-nished with 128 yards on seven carries, an average of 17.7 yards per carry.
Quarterback Chandler Whitmer was 11 of 22 passing for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Chris Fields was the leading receiver with five catches for 76 yards.
Butler, now 2-1 overall and 2-0 in Jayhawk Conference play, will face a non-conference opponent next week in a 7 p.m. home game against Air Force Prep, the same team that beat No. 3-ranked Huchinson 40-7 on Friday.
"They've got everbody's attention around the country with what they've done," Morrell said. "We have to get prepared for a physical battle. Our guys will have to be prepared to play."
