The North Platte Panthers’ football team opened the 2024 season with a 30-20 loss at home to Butler on Friday, Aug. 30.
The Bears wasted no time by scoring on the opening kickoff with a return by junior Jake Chandler to put Butler up 6-0. A two-point conversion run was stopped short by the Panthers’ defense.
DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo
North Platte junior Dylan Armstrong took on a Butler tackler in the first quarter.
The Panthers answered with a 10-play touchdown drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Wright from quarterback Westin Snook. The two-point conversion pass was picked off by the Butler defense and the game was tied at 6-6. The drive included a fourth down conversion on a direct snap to junior Dylan Armstrong.
It wasn’t long before Butler broke the tie and needed only two plays to score a touchdown. The Bears started at their own 21-yard line but a big run on the first play put them at the North Platte 40-yard line. Butler quarterback Kellen Long connected on a 40-yard pass and a successful two-point run put the Bears up 14-6 with 5:48 left in the first quarter.
Quarterback Westin Snook
Both teams struggled to get much going on offense in their next possessions. North Platte was able to get the offense going in the second quarter but had a 62-yard touchdown pass to Wright negated on a flag and the Panthers ended up punting.
The Panthers’ defense got a stop and the ball back for the offense but a screen pass over the middle was intercepted by Butler at the North Platte 38-yard line setting up the Bears with good field position. Butler needed only four plays to score on a one-yard run by the quarterback. North Platte’s defense stopped the two-point run but Butler had a two-possession lead at 20-6.
Waylon McCracken
With less than a minute left in the half the Panthers’ offense had the ball and some momentum when junior Brendan Matt caught a tipped pass between three Butler defenders to put North Platte at the Butler nine-yard line. However, disaster struck when Butler sophomore Lucas Davidson intercepted Snook’s pass at the five-yard line and returned it for a touchdown with one second left on the clock. The two-point conversion was good and Butler had a 28-6 lead at halftime.
Butler tried surprising North Platte to open the second half with an onside kick but the Panthers recovered. Two plays later North Platte was in the end zone on a long pass play to Matt but the play was called back because of a flag. It was the second time in the game a touchdown was taken off the board because of a penalty.
The Panthers’ offense regrouped and still scored on an 18-yard touchdown run by Armstrong with 7:52 left in the third quarter. The two-point conversion was no good and Butler led 28-12.
Brendan Matt
The Butler offense drove down to the North Platte 27 yard line but was stuffed when there was a fumble on the fourth down snap allowing the Panthers to take over.
North Platte took advantage of the turnover and drove down the field and scored on a one-yard run by sophomore Logan Manville. Manville completed the octopus by catching a two-point conversion pass from Snook to pull within a score at 28-20.
The Bears’ offense drove down and had a goal-to-go situation but could not convert and turned the ball over on downs to North Platte at the eight-yard line. However, the snap on North Platte’s first down play went behind Snook and he had to fall on the ball inside the one-yard line. On the next play, Snook tried to flip the ball forward but the receiver was tackled in the end zone for a safety.
Caleb Wright celebrates a touchdown.
On the free kick the Panthers tried an onside kick and recovered the ball at the 30-yard line. The Panthers’ offense drove completing two fourth-down conversions but they could not convert a third at the Butler 24-yard line. The Bears were able to run enough time off the clock to ice the game.
Snook was 11 of 29 passing for 137 yards with two interceptions and a touchdown. As a team the Panthers rushed for 143 yards including 89 yards by Armstrong on 17 carries. Gus French rushed for 34 yards on three carries. Matt had seven catches for 75 yards. French had three catches for 36 yards.
Three Panthers had 10 tackles on defense including Grady Coons, Will Hartigan, and Cameron Wortham. All three had three tackles for loss. Aspen Large had eight tackles and a sack. Wyatt Spradlin had eight tackles and Waylon McCracken had seven tackles.
This week the Panthers will travel to Milan who also lost its opening game of the season.