Chiefs penalized with 28-8 loss in Butte

By Aaric Bryan
Valley Journal
BUTTE — The yellow flags were flying in the Chiefs’ 28-8 loss to Butte Central Friday night
The Chiefs were penalized a total of 13 times - nine alone on offsides call - in the 20-point loss in Butte. Ronan coach Jim Benn said that just won’t cut it against a team that could easily win the Central A Conference.
“We just made too many mistakes,” Benn said. “It’s something we need to get fixed.”
After going into the halftime only trailing 7-0, Benn said the Chiefs started to wear down, but it was the penalties that really hurt the team in the second half. Benn said that all of Butte Central’s scoring drives in the second half were kept alive or helped by Chief penalties.
“We basically gift wrapped things for them,” Benn said.
The Chief offense had a hard time getting going against the Maroons, not getting into the end zone until late in the fourth quarter, when Cory Hardy hooked up with Xavier Morigeau for a 21-yard strike.
“We’re missing assignments and we don’t look very crisp,” Benn said. “We’re working through some different issues and trying to figure at some things. It’s pretty important that we start cleaning up some of the mistakes and start doing things better.”
Benn said if there was one bright spot in Butte; it was some of the young players stepping up.

He said that sophomore’s Dilan Starkel and Jack Humphrey’s continue to impress him with their solid plays.
The Chiefs travel to Corvallis Friday. The Blue Devils beat them last year. It was Benn’s first game coaching in Ronan. He said both teams will go into the game with a little bit more knowledge of each other this year. Corvallis lost some of the players from last year’s playoff team, but Benn said the Blue Devils are well coached and always play hard.

Summary

Butte Central 28, Ronan 8
Ronan 0 0 0 8 – 8
Butte 0 7 7 14 – 28
B - Jonathon Richards 15 pass from Andy Ritter (Nathaniel Loomis kick)
B - Ritter 48 run (Loomis kick)
B - Richards 17 pass from Ritter (Loomis kick)
R - Xavier Morigeau 21 pass from Cory Hardy (Hardy pass from Robbie Gauthier)
B - Richards 1 run (Loomis kick)