Butte Central is looking to get back to where it feels it belongs.
The Maroons head to Corvallis Friday to take on the Blue Devils in a Southwestern A football team.
A win will wrap up a playoff spot for the Maroons (2-1 in conference, 3-4 overall). Kickoff is at 7 p.m. (KOPR, 94.1 FM. Click here to listen online.)
“Our primary goal this year has been to get back to the playoffs,” BC coach Don Peoples Jr. said. “That means a lot to our players and our program.”
Last year, the Maroons saw their run of 10 straight playoff appearances come to an end.
“We think it’s really important for the future of our program to get back in the playoffs,” Peoples said, pointing to the valuable experience it would be for his very young team.
Standing in the way is a Corvallis team that hasn’t won a game. The Blue Devils are 0-3 in conference and 0-6 overall. They are coming off a 56-0 home loss to Dillon.
The Maroons, though, are treating the Blue Devils as if they are an undefeated team.
“We’re not going to take them lightly,” Peoples said. “They’re a real mystery. They have some all-conference kids back from last year. They’ve got great athletes. Knowing their coaches and players, I know they’ll play with a ton of pride.”
The Maroons enter the game with a two-gaming winning streak.
BC beat Hamilton 52-29 on a cold, windy night in Butte last week. The team scored seven rushing touchdowns in the win, four by senior quarterback Brady Tippett.
Despite scoring just six points against Billings Central early in the season, the Maroons are still averaging more than 33 points per game.
The BC offense is loaded with weapons in running backs Joe Joyce and Wyatt Kingston, tight end Connor McGree and receivers Kale Guldseth, Northey Tretheway, Chad Peterson and Dalton Sessions.
The Maroons will once again be playing without injured senior guard Kolten Lamiaux, who still hasn’t been cleared medically after suffering a concussion.
So, BC’s starting offensive line will be Liam Doran, Frank Joyce, Brant Ahlborn, Connor Schulte and Marucs Ferriter.
On the other side of the ball, the Maroons are led up front by Schulte, Ferriter, McGree and Frank Joyce.
Kaemen Richards, Ben Holt and Kingston are the linebackers, while Danny Peoples, Joe Joyce, Guldseth and Tretheway make up the secondary.
The Maroons are back at home next week when they take on Dillon in the regular-season finale.
If the Maroons win Friday, that game will be about seeding in the playoffs. The division championship could be on the line.
Butte Central Maroons
Head coach
Don Peoples Jr. (24th season)
Offensive starters
QB — Brady Tippett, 5-11, 180, sr
RB — Joe Joyce, 5-10, 170, sr; Wyatt Kingston, 5-9, 170 jr
WR — Kale Guldseth, 5-8, 140, jr; Chad Peterson, 5-10, 160, so; Dalton Sessions, 6-0, 175, so; Northey Tretheway, 5-7, 155, sr
TE — Connor McGree, 6-2, 215, jr
C — Liam Doran, 5-2, 195, so
G —Frank Joyce, 5-10, 220, sr; Brant Ahlborn, 6-3, 276, jr
T — Connor Schulte, 5-10, 220, jr; Marcus Ferriter, 6-4, 215, so
Defensive starters
T — Schulte; Frank Joyce
E — Ferriter; McGree
ILB — Kaemen Richards, 6-1, 195, so
OLB — Ben Holt, 5-9, 188, so, Kingston
FS — Danny Peoples, 5-11, 155, so
SS — Joe Joyce
C — Guldseth; Tretheway
