BUTTE — Butte Central's football team is just one victory away from matching its 2024 win total, but head coach Don Peoples — who has been guiding the Maroons since 1989 — noted that their toughest challenges are still to come as they get set to head into the Southwestern A portion of their schedule.
"They're very motivated but I think they're very aware of what's ahead of us in conference play," said Peoples. "There's some very good teams in the Southwestern A and we've got to step up if we want to keep winning."
After dropping its season opener against Lockwood, the Maroons responded by surviving Hardin-Lodge Grass 17-16 on a walk-off 32-yard field goal from senior Jack Nagle to earn their first win. They then delivered a 40-0 route of Ronan with all of Central's scoring coming in the first quarter.
HEAR FROM THE MAROONS:
So, the Maroons are 2-1 and on a two-game win streak as they get set to open conference play at home against Corvallis. They'll have a chance to piece together their first three-game win streak since 2019, which was the last season Central advanced to Class A playoffs.
The Maroons, especially their nine seniors, have made it clear ending their postseason drought is the top goal this season.
"We're pretty determined," said Nagle. "It started end of last season. We've been grinding, trying to get there."
Said Peoples: "I think that's our number one goal every year, it always has been the last couple years we've fallen short of that. I think it's driving our kids. We get up in the mornings and lift weights and they talk about how it's a process. We've got to keep getting better, keep getting stronger."
