COFFEYVILLE, Kan. – 13th-ranked Butler traveled to rival Coffeyville on Saturday and dropped a 15-7 contest in a sloppy football game played in wet, windy conditions at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
There were nine total turnovers between Butler (4-4, 2-3 KJCCC) and Coffeyville (3-5, 1-4 KJCCC) as they battled the elements all night. The Red Ravens picked up their first conference win of the season while the Grizzlies dropped under .500 in league play at 2-3. The win for Coffeyville pushed their lead in the all-time series to 51-45-2 as they have also won three of the last four including the last two games.
The game went into halftime tied at zero as Butler punted on five of its seven first half drives with the other two being a fumble lost and a blocked field goal. The Grizzlies forced Coffeyville into two fumbles, two downs and two punts. There was a combined 125 yards of total offense at halftime.
Coffeyville broke the scoreless streak late in the third quarter with 1:21 remaining as quarterback Geremiah Moore connected with Joseph Young on a 21-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field. The Red Ravens missed the extra point to make it a 6-0 lead. Earlier in the drive Butler had Coffeyville pinned deep on its own five yard line with 3rd-and-15 to go, but Coffeyville converted an 18 yard questionable catch that appeared to be incomplete but officials ruled it complete on the field as well following video replay.
Butler quickly answered after defensive back Armahn Hale intercepted a Connor Apo pass on the CCC 26-yard line. Running back KJ Shankle capped off a six play 26-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown rush to make it a 7-6 Butler lead.
The backbreaker for the Grizzlies was Coffeyville quarterback Enzo Tedesco toting the ball 63 yards for a touchdown with 3:30 left in the game to take a 12-7 lead following a missed two-point conversion. Butler quarterback Lin Johnson threw an interception on the next drive and Coffeyville ran 1:57 off, eventually making a 25-yard field goal to go ahead 15-7 with 1:16 left.
Johnson tossed another interception on 2nd-and-10 on the following drive at the Butler 32-yard line and Coffeyville took over, eventually kneeling it out to secure the win.
Johnson was 14-of-34 for 80 yards through the air and three interceptions. Running back Jaisean McMillian led Butler with 41 yards rushing on 13 carries. Wide receiver PJ Caldwell led with five receptions for 36 yards.
Defensive back Armahn Hale led Butler with 11 tackles as well as the interception and 1.5 tackles for loss. Linebacker Demarcious Robinson was also flying around the field with 10 tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Punter Chevy Edwards was a weapon for Butler as he punted nine times with a long of 50 yards. Six of his nine punts were downed inside the 20, four were downed inside the ten with one being downed on the one-yard line.
Coffeyville out rushed Butler 234 yards to 22 and had 319 total yards of offense to Butler's 109. The Red Ravens won the time of possession battle, having the ball for 35:22 to 24:38 for Butler. Butler coughed up the ball four times to Coffeyville's five.
The Grizzlies now turn their attention to ninth-ranked Dodge City on Saturday, Nov. 4th, as they travel to Memorial Stadium for a noon central kickoff that will be streamed on ESPN+.
