Butler football sinks dagger into Shaler to storm back in Week 1 comeback thriller

August 28, 2026 Last Updated: August 29, 2026 12:12 PM Sports

Butler's Nicco Baggetta (1) slips past a defender in a season-opening football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle

ANDREW JACKSON

BUTLER TWP — Butler went to its “dagger” play with the game on the line.

Aptly named.

The Golden Tornado football team held a 17-14 lead over Shaler — scoring a pair of touchdowns to wipe out an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter — and faced a third-and-14 from their own 16-yard line with three minutes to play in the season opener Friday night at Art Bernardi Stadium.

“We went to a play we call the dagger, a deep pass downfield,” quarterback Will Dunaway said. “With that call, I’m looking for Deacon (Simko) down the seam. I knew that defender couldn’t stay with him.”

Dunaway connected with Simko for a 46-yard pass down the right sideline. The Tornado ground out two first downs from there, then took a knee to kill the clock for the three-point win.

“That catch felt pretty good,” Simko said. “It essentially put away the game.”

Shaler scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter to grab a 14-3 lead. Braedyn Witkowski caught a 63-yard bomb from Trey Kostorick, and Calil Forbes returned an interception 60 yards for a score.

But it was the failure to secure a potential game-clinching touchdown that eventually doomed the Titans.

Shaler possessed the ball for 7 minutes, 10 seconds on its first possession of the second half. The Titans marched 63 yards on 15 plays. The 15th play was a fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line. Running back Jack Glaser was wrapped up by Charlie Rodgers at the 1-yard line, ending the possession.

“Our defense gave up one score all night,” Butler coach Eric Christy said. “It was a dominant performance that was fun to watch.”

The Tornado turned around and marched 99 yards in 13 plays. After Nicco Baggetta

gained 11 yards on the first play of the drive, he was replaced at quarterback by Dunaway.

“Nicco wasn’t playing badly. ... We only had three points in the fourth quarter. We just needed a different perspective,” Christy said. “And Nicco made some plays at receiver during that drive.

“He and Will can both play quarterback and receiver. They will both be on the field all the time in one way or another.”

Baggetta caught passes for gains of 6 and 11 yards during the drive. Simko snared a 19-yard pass, and Baggetta caught an 18-yard TD pass on fourth-and-7 from the Shaler 18. The conversion failed, and Butler trailed 14-9.

Shaler’s offense went three-and-out after that. Simko fielded the punt and returned it 42 yards for the go-ahead score.

“I had the right sideline, then the hole opened up left and I took it,” Simko said. “Credit my boy, Jordan Vaccari, on that play. He made the key block that sprung me loose.”

Shaler’s Alex Gaetano sailed a 39-yard field goal try wide left with 4:06 remaining before Butler’s “dagger” sealed the deal.

“Deacon was a little down on himself because he missed some plays earlier he felt he should have made,” Christy said. “But when we needed him, he was there. He came through in a big way.”

A Chase Boden fumble recovery at the Shaler 8, two plays into the game, set up A.J. Morris for a 29-yard field goal and Butler’s first points of the game.

The Tornado host Taylor Allderdice next Friday night.