#9 Red Ravens Stay Unbeaten, Defeat Butler 35-21

El Dorado, Kan. -  The #9 NJCAA ranked Coffeyville Community College Red Raven Football Team traveled to El Dorado Kansas and defeated the #RV Butler Grizzlies 35-21.  With the victory, the Red Ravens improved their 2021 overall record to 4-0.  The 4-0 start is the best start since the 2015 Red Raven team started the season 8-0.  After last year's one-point Raven victory, this year's victory was Coffeyville's second win in a row over Butler and third in the last five meetings.

Coffeyville's freshman running back #18 Star Thomas rushed for 227 yards on 20 carries in this year's dominating Red Raven victory.  Thomas had touchdown runs of 53 and 82 yards to help seal the victory.

Coffeyville started the game quickly by scoring on their first two drives of the game.  Red Raven quarterback and reigning NJCAA offensive player of the week, Jakson Thomson, started the game off hot passing an opening drive 19-yard touchdown to Isaiah Taylor and then following that up with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Cortarious Wilson on the second drive of the game.  The two early touchdowns set the tone and gave the Red Ravens an early 14-0 lead.

Coffeyville's defense came to play in the first half, clamping down on Butler holding the grizzlies to one six-play drive, two four-play drives, and four drives of 3 plays and out.  Most importantly from those drives, the Red Ravens allowed zero points in the first half.  Coffeyville went into halftime with a 14-0 lead.

After the past two decades of Coffeyville Butler football games, one should know that a wild second half was about to happen.

Butler opened up the second half marching down the field in three minutes and scoring their first touchdown of the game to pull the score within 14-7 early in the third quarter.  The end of the third quarter saw the Ravens pull back out by 21-7 with a Thomson to Chris Bellamy 10 yard touchdown pass.

Coffeyville looked to put the game away after a 53 yard Star Thomas touchdown run pushed the Red Raven lead out to 28-7.  However, Butler quickly scored two touchdowns within three minutes to pull within 28-21 with just a shade over five minutes to go in the game.

Coffeyville went to the Star Thomas well one more time for an 82-yard touchdown scamper that finally put the seal on the 35-21 victory and allowed those Red Raven fans to breathe a little easier.

Statistically for the game, Coffeyville amassed 515 yards of offense to Butler's 400.  The passing yardage was pretty even with Butler (286 yards) slightly outpacing Coffeyville (267 yards).  However, Coffeyville (248 yards) outrushed Butler (114 yards) by over a hundred yards.  The turnover battle in the game was critical with Butler suffering three turnovers (two fumbles and an interception) to Coffeyville's zero.

Coffeyville has an upcoming bye week and will return to action with a road game on Saturday, October 16th to play the Greyhounds of Fort Scott.  Game time in Fort Scott is set for 1:00 pm.