No. 8 Football Comes Up Short at No. 19 American River

Sacramento, Calif. - Despite forcing a pair of big turnovers, the No. 8 Butte football team came up short at No. 19 American River, 27-25, on Saturday afternoon.

The Roadrunners recovered a dropped punt return, as well as a late onside kick, but a pair of turnovers and 11 penalties for 94 yards slowed Butte's scoring efforts.

Down 14-13 at the half, Butte struck first in the third quarter on sophomore Tanner Hughes' one-yard keeper to put the Roadrunners up 19-14. ARC had back-to-back scores to open the fourth quarter before sophomore Jailen Hammer put the Roadrunners back within two. Sophomore Dante Jackson successfully executed the onside kick with 1:03 remaining in the game with the Roadrunners recovering in Beaver territory on the 46. But a lost fumble on a seven-yard rush put the game away in favor of ARC, despite one last attempt with 27 seconds remaining in the game.

Hughes went 20-for-30 for 240 yards and a pair of touchdown passes to Hammer and sophomore Zach Woodall, with his second-half rushing touchdown. Sophomore running back Caleb Ramseur counted the the team's other score.

Ramseur rushed for 77 yards, while Hammer and Woodall combined for 11 recpetions for 118 yards. 

Defensively, freshman Aiden Sullivan counted 15 tackles, six solo, with three tackles for loss for 14 yards, including a sack for five yards. Sophomores Grant Garretson and Elijah O'Neal each tallied eight total tackles, three solo, combining for two tackles for loss for seven yards.

Butte (4-3, 1-1) returns home to host Sierra on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. The event will be cashless, and fans are encouraged to skip the ticket sales lines by prepurchasing tickets through the Butte Athletics Box Office.