LAUREL — The Maroons almost had a comeback of epic proportions Friday night.
Butte Central rallied from a 37-7 halftime deficit to No. 3 Laurel to pull within 37-30 early in the fourth quarter.
The Locomotives, though, put the game away, winning 51-37.
“We came out and made some plays in the second half,” Butte Central coach Don Peoples Jr. said. “In the first half we beat ourselves. It was a rotten feeling down 37-7. The kids responded well and came back.”
Brady Tippett, who passed for 341 yards and four touchdowns, hit Connor McGree for a 63-yard TD before Danny Peoples booted a 28-yard field goal to cut the lead to 37-17.
Two more Tippett TD passes really made things interesting.
The senior hit Wyatt Kingston for 80yards early in the fourth. Then he hit McGree, who gained 147 yards on six catches, for a 17-yard strike with 9 minutes, 45 second left.
Brett Thompson, though, scored on a 1-yard run before Jon Verlanic hauled in a 38-yard pass from Thompson to put the game away.
BC closed out the scoring when Peoples found Kaemen Richards for a 25-yard strike.
Kamerson Fisher scored on runs of 3 and 11 yards in the first quarter. Kale Guldseth caught a 20-yard Tippett TD pass in between those scores, and BC trailed 14-7 after one quarter.
A 1-yard plunge by Bryce Herman started a 23-0 second quarter for the Locomotives (4-0). Fisher ran for a 26-yard score, before Laurel got the Maroons for a safety and Thompson hit Tyler Ward for an eight yard pass.
Then the Maroons regrouped after the break.
BC lost despite outgaining the Locomotives 491-413. Three BC receivers caught at least six passes, with Guldseth hauling in eight for 86 yards and Kingston catching seven for 85. Richards grabbed three passes for 37 yards, while Chad Peterson caught a 44-yard pass.
Joe Joyce ran for 58 yards on 18 carries.
Herman ran for 126 yards on 13 carries. Thompson who passed for 112 yards, ran for 103 yards on 11 carries.
The Maroons wrapped up their brutal non-conference schedule at 1-3.
The first game that counts toward a playoff berth is next week when BC opens its Southwestern A schedule at home against Anaconda.
Butte Central 7 0 10 20 — 37
Laurel 14 23 0 14 — 51
First Quarter
Lau — Kameron Fisher 3 run (Fisher kick), 6:46.
BC — Kale Guldseth 20 pass from Brady Tippett (Danny Peoples kick), 2:55.
Lau — Fisher 11 run (Fisher kick), :59.
Second Quarter
Lau — Bryce Herman 1 run (Fisher kick), 8:59.
Lau — Fisher 26 run (Fisher kick), 6:25.
Lau — Safety, running back tackled in end zone, 1:49.
Lau — Tyler Ward 8 pass from Brett Thompson (Fisher kick), :45.
Third Quarter
BC — Connor McGree 63 pass from Tippett (Peoples kick), 10:52.
BC — Peoples 28 field goal, 4:06
Fourth Quarter
BC — Wyatt Kingston 8 pass from Tippett (kick failed), 10:37.
BC — McGree 17 pass from Tippett (Peoples kick), 9:45.
Lau — Thompson 1 run (Fisher kick), 8:48.
Lau — Jon Verlanic 38 pass from Thompson (Fisher kick), 2:29.
BC — Kaemen Richards 25 pass from Danny Peoples (Peoples kick)
BC Lau
First downs 23 19
Rushes-yards 33-92 40-301
Passing 25-39-2 4-8-0
Passing yards 399 112
Total yards 491 413
Penalties 7-65 3-35
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Butte Central: Joe Joyce 18-58, Wyatt Kingston 2-32, Brady Tippett 13-2. Laurel: Bryce Herman 13-126, Brett Thompson 11-103, Kameron Fisher 12-58, Michael Buster 4-14.
PASSING — Butte Central: Brady Tippett 21-33-2, 341 yards; Danny Peoples 4-6-0, 58 yards. Laurel: Brett Thompson 4-8-0, 112 yards.
RECEIVING — Butte Central: Connor McGree 6-147, Kale Guldseth 8-86, Wyatt Kingston 7-85, Chad Peterson 1-44, Kaemen Richards 3-37. Laurel: Cody Shick 1-39, Jon Verlanic 1-38, Jake Anderson 1-27, Tyler Ward 1-8.
