Butler High will leave WPIAL for football

Third-largest school has been struggling as of late

Butler used to have a terrific football program, winning a couple of WPIAL championships, challenging for titles, producing major college football players and even some NFL players. But that was decades ago, and the program has developed into one of the worst in the WPIAL over the past 20 years.

But starting in 2020, Butler will no longer be a part of WPIAL football.

Due to its struggles to compete and worried about the football program eventually folding, Butler has decided to leave the WPIAL for football only and will play an independent schedule. The decision was made by Butler administrators and approved Thursday by the school board. Butler sent a letter to the WPIAL Friday morning, informing the league of its decision.

“Obviously, we’ve been down in football for a long time and we truly feel like we’ve gone down a lot of different avenues to revive the program,” Butler athletic director Bill Mylan said. “I feel like, and so do others, that it’s a culture problem. I believe it’s tough to change the culture if you don’t enjoy some success. Maybe we get some wins, build some excitement back up in the program and generate some excitement in the community. The end goal is to eventually get back in the WPIAL.”

Mylan said Butler coach Eric Christy supports the decision. Christy, a former Butler player, has been Butler’s coach for two seasons.

Butler’s struggle in football is mysterious, especially when you consider it is the third-largest school in the WPIAL in terms of enrollment, behind only North Allegheny and Seneca Valley. And Butler is successful in other sports.

In football, under legendary coach Art Bernardi in the 1960s through much of the 1980s, Butler was a WPIAL power. Terry Hanratty was a quarterback at the school, an All-American at Notre Dame and played for the Steelers. Three Saul brothers went on to make the NFL. Scott Milanovich, who quarterbacked Butler to the 1990 WPIAL title game, also spent some time in the NFL.

But the football program has struggled mightily for a number of years. Despite the school’s large enrollment, only 40 players came out for the team in 2019 and the Golden Tornado was down to 24 players later in the season because of injuries and players leaving.

Butler finished the 2019 season on a 20game losing streak and the team hasn’t won a game since 2017. Over the past two seasons, Butler has been outscored, 965213. Butler has made the playoffs only once in the 2000s and the team hasn’t had a winning season since 1997. Since 2000, Butler has one of the worst records in the WPIAL at 41-149.

“It’s a shame and I wish we had the answer to the equation,” Mylan said. “We’ve done so well in other sports. Two years ago, we set a school record with 18 playoff appearances in varsity sports. It’s just a matter of getting some of these athletes to come out for football. I’ve said people in our community don’t see the success we have in other sports because football casts a shadow over the other sports.”

Butler had asked the WPIAL in December to withdraw from the league for football and join District 10 (Erie area) for football only. The WPIAL voted not to allow the move because as WPIAL executive director Tim O’Malley said, “We think that would set a bad precedent.”

Now Butler will go the way of Albert Gallatin, another former WPIAL program that dropped out of the league after the 2018 season because of struggles to compete. Albert Gallatin played an independent schedule this past year.

Mylan said Butler will play games against District 10 teams in Erie, such as McDowell, Cathedral Prep and Erie High. He also said District 10 officials have informed Butler that the Golden Tornado also could possibly schedule games against Hickory, Grove City or Meadville. Mylan also had conversations with a few WPIAL teams for non-conference games. Without Butler, the WPIAL will have only eight Class 6A teams next season.

“The week we played Central Catholic, 24 players suited up,” Mylan said. “At that point, you’re worried about safety. If we continued down this path, who knows if we would have a football program in a year or two? We had to do something to improve the program.”