Video: Butcher, Bush lead Newman past Berwick

 
NEW ORLEANS – It was close at first and somewhat sloppy throughout, but the Newman Greenies got it done.

Martin Butcher passed for 257 yards and 4 touchdowns, TJ Bush ran for 2 more and the Newman Greenies upended the Berwick Panthers, 48-23, Friday night at Michael Lupin field.

Newman (4-0) managed 193 yards on the ground through the efforts of Bush, Joseph Pleasant, Butcher and even receiver Murray Calhoun. The Greenies also never turned the ball over and punted only once.

“We have a lot of respect for Berwick,” said Greenies head coach Nelson Stewart. “They played two really good teams tight the previous two weeks so we weren’t taking them lightly. I like the way we ran the ball and I feel like we made the adjustments we needed to throughout. I feel like this was our best win up to this point and it feels good to be 4-0.”

The Greenies offensive performance helped them get around 10 penalties for 95 yards overall, including 4 ineligible receivers down field.

“There were some issues we had up front where I feel like the effort was good but we’ve got to get that cleaned up,” said Stewart. “And we definitely will. That’s what the film’s for. But I think what’s more important is that our kids were able to rally through adversity and get the win.”

Berwick (1-3) lost their previous two games by just one possession each and trailed just 20-10 at halftime. Quarterback Mitchell Sanford managed to throw for 186 yards and picked up a 23 yard scoring run in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t enough to offset Newman’s offense or their 9 penalties, however.

“Newman’s a very good football team,” said Panthers head coach Mike Walker. “We had way too many penalties. Too many encroachments and just bad stuff like that and just helped extend drives for a very good football team that we can’t help out.”

Newman got on the board first when Butcher hit Calhoun from 23 yards out for a touchdown which gave the Greenies a 6-0 lead.

Newman was back at it on their second possession when Bush ran the ball in from 16 yards out to extend the lead to 13-0.

Following a 55-yard completion from Sanford to Barrett Hover, running back Josh Jones of the Panthers scampered in from 10 yards out to get Berwick on the board as they trailed 13-7.

The Panthers got as close as they would all night when kicker Seth Canty hit a field goal from 26 yards out to pull Berwick within 3 of the Greenies.

Newman managed to extend their lead before halftime when Bush took off on a 17 yard scoring run with 1:26 left before the horn to put Newman ahead 20-10.

The second half was all Newman as Butcher found Jarmone Southerland early for a 5-yard touchdown and found Calhoun twice more and Pleasant got an 18 yard run of his own to put Berwick away. Sanford’s run and a 44 yard run by Jones helped Berwick compete, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Greenies.