Tipp earns shutout at Butler, now 5-0

In their first four games of the season, the Tippecanoe defense has allowed only 20 points for the entire season. So nobody on the Tipp sidelines was shocked when the final buzzer sounded, and Tipp flexed their muscle again last week. They shut out a three-win Butler team 42-0 on their home field to improve to 5-0 on the season. 

The Red Devils solidified their current number one spot in the Division 3 Region 12 computer rankings. They opened up their offense with a good mixture of solid runs and some extended passes from Larkin Thomas, who was accurate and consistent all night.

“Tonight was a result of the preparation these kids put in this week,” Tippecanoe coach Matt Burgbacher said. “We have had some of our best practices that we have had all year this week. They were locked in and loaded, and tonight was going to be a game of responses.”

“We talked about those things all week and our kids responded the right way. When we have the three energies - positive energy, competitive energy, and team-first energy - we are a pretty good football team.”

After Max Deckard picked off a Butler pass in the opening quarter, the Red Devils went to work. Larkin Thomas hit Deckard with a 41-yard scoring pass with 4:24 left in the quarter to give Tipp the lead early.

On their next drive, Tipp started deep inside Butler territory, and they went to the bag of tricks. An option pass from Will Strong to Grant Titley, who was wide open in the endzone, went for 26 yards, and with 2:24 left in the opening quarter. Tipp had extended their lead to 14-0.

Back they came again on their next possession when Xavier Melton had some big runs. Thomas connected with Strong on a deep 43-yard pass. The Red Devils capitalized on the next play as Thomas scored on a 20-yard run with 8:49 left in the half, pushing the Tipp lead to 21-0.

After an onside kick, Tipp recovered, and Melton finished a short drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 7:47 left in the first half, with Tipp leading 28-0.

A final score seconds before the half gave Tipp a 35-0 lead at the break. Thomas hit Strong from 18 yards out on a fourth down, sending the game into a running clock mode the entire second half. It was part of 250 yards in the air from Thomas.

The Red Devils ended the scoring in the third when Melton scored from a yard out.

“Their defense was good, so we knew we were going to have to be creative. They were going to get us for a five-yard loss every now and then,” Burgbacher said. 

“Hats off to them for the way they started the game,” he added, talking about the aggressive Butler style on their opening drive. But our kids responded the right way.”

Tipp now hosts Sidney on Thursday night due to the Mum Festival at the park this weekend. The Yellow Jackets are 0-5 on the season.