Marist Red Foxes Football Defeats Butler, 30-21

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The Marist football team defeated Butler 30-21 on Saturday in a Pioneer Football League game at the Butler Bowl.

Red-shirt sophomore quarterback Mike White threw for a career-high 393 yards and three touchdowns. White did not commit any turnovers. His yardage total was the fourth-highest single-game total in program history. Sophomore wide receiver Juston Christian had a career-high 181 receiving yards on eight receptions, two of which went for touchdowns.

Senior Mike Maccarone hit three field goals of longer than 40 yards.

Defensively, red-shirt sophomore free safety Wesley Beans had a team-leading seven tackles, an interceptions, a forced fumble, and a tackle for loss. Senior cornerback Cameron Gibson and red-shirt junior linebacker Ruben Avalos III had six tackles apiece. Red-shirt sophomore safety Jordyn Jean-Felix finished with five tackles, one interception, one sack, and one-and-a-half tackles for loss. Red-shirt sophomore cornerback Brandon Miller had two pass break-ups and four tackles.

In the first quarter, Marist twice drove into Butler territory, but was unable to come away with points due to a missed field goal and a blocked field goal. The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard first on a five-yard touchdown pass from Will Marty to Cord Collier with 12 seconds left in the period.

Marist answered on its next drive. The Red Foxes ran two straight untimed plays at the end of the first quarter due to Butler penalties, and moved the ball to the Butler 25. On the first play of the second period, White completed a touchdown pass to Christian. The extra point was blocked, so Butler maintained the lead at 7-6. The Bulldogs scored on their next possession, as they capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown from Marty to Pace Temple.

The Red Foxes answered with 13 straight points to close out the quarter. Maccarone tied a career long with a 42-yard field goal with 7:45 left in the quarter. Marist took its first lead on a seven-yard scoring strike from White to red-shirt freshman wide receiver Anthony Olivencia for the first touchdown of the wideout’s career. When Butler jumped offside on the PAT attempt, the Red Foxes decided to go for two, and red-shirt junior Marcellus Calhoun punched it in to give Marist a 17-14 advantage.

After a White interception was called back due to a roughing the passer penalty, the Red Foxes drove inside the Butler 30, and Maccarone drilled a career-long 48-yard field goal with three seconds left in the half. Marist took a 20-14 lead into the locker room.

Butler had the only score of the third quarter. A 60-yard pass from Marty to Collier brought the ball to the Marist 1. Sam Schrader scored on a run on the next play, and the point after gave the Bulldogs a 21-20 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

With 10:40 left in the fourth quarter, the Red Foxes took the lead for good on a 45-yard field goal by Maccarone. The game’s final score came on a 37-yard scoring strike from White to Christian, with Maccarone adding the PAT with 10:40 left.

Marist is 2-3 overall and 2-0 in the PFL. Butler is 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the PFL.
For Butler, Marty finished 23-for-42 for 314 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Temple caught seven passes for 110 yards.