Tyler Godwin
Student Sports Media
The Grizzlies gave No. 3 Iowa Western everything they had this weekend in a tightly contested game, but would ultimately fall 19-14.
Iowa Western took control of the game early after a pair of touchdowns thrown by quarterback Tyriek Starks.
The first coming late in the first quarter on a 15-yard check down pass to receiver Nick Singleton. The second coming off of a controversial 65-yard bomb from Starks to Singleton, who finished with 5 catches for 100 yards.
On the following drive down 13-0, Butler would take the ball all the way down the field for a touchdown before halftime. Sophomore quarterback Self would punch the ball in for a 4-yard touchdown run to give Butler a 13-7 halftime lead. This was set up by a 62-yard deep ball from Self to sophomore receiver Isreal Watson.
“I just went out there and played my game,” Watson said.
The Grizzlies would take their first lead of the game with 6:33 left in the game when Self pushed into the endzone on a one-yard quarterback sneak.
At that point, the Reivers had been held scoreless for 35 minutes, but following Self’s touchdown, Iowa Western was left with six minutes left to capitalize.
Immediately, the Reivers were faced with a third-and-10, but an offsides penalty would make it third-and-5. Iowa Western receiver Marcell Barbee would make an acrobatic 23-yard catch to push the ball farther down field.
Stark then run it in from the five to give Iowa Western a 19-14 lead with 3:13 left in the game.
On a fourth-and-two at the Reiver 47 yard line with 1:27 left, Butler made a reverse pitch to sophomore quarter back Kyle Parks who tried to hit Self out of the backfield, which resulted in an incomplete pass.
Leading the Butler passing game, Self finished with 183 yards while going 12 for 23 on passing with an interception. On the ground, sophomore running back Vinnie Shabazz led with 46 yards off of eight carries.
Sophomore linebacker Amare Barno led all Grizzlies defensively with nine total tackles while sophomore defensive ends Jordan Smith and Jacoby Jones both finished with eight tackles.
“We’re just gonna have come out and play better next week against Garden City,” Head Coach Tim Schaffner said.