RUTHERFORD – The NJIC championship trophy is heading back to the Butler Rock.
“The rock is our monument,” Butler junior receiver Evan Croker said. “We gotta get our big players up on the rock and hoist the trophy. It’s a great experience.”
Butler senior quarterback David Smith ran for two scores and threw for two more, while Croker intercepted two passes to lead Butler to a 41-20 win over Rutherford on Oct. 24 in the 10th NJIC championship game.
Plans were to bring the glass football statue to the large blue painted rock back in Butler.
“Before last year, we never won an NJIC championship and to bring it home back-to-back, it says a lot for the program, and the culture of Butler, and we can’t wait to celebrate this back at the rock,” Smith said.
What it means
Butler (8-0) joins Rutherford as the only teams to repeat as NJIC champios. Rutherford (7-1) won three titles in a row from 2021-23.
Rutherford had early momentum in the game, taking a 7-0 lead on a touchdown pass from Myles Balchan to AJ Nunziato in the first quarter. They drove to inside the Butler 20 with their next two drives, but came up empty each time.
“That fueled us,” Croker said. “That got us hyped. That’s honestly what kept our offense going was our defense getting energy from those stops.”
David Smith steps up
There’s no NJIC Championship MVP or conference Player of the Year award, but hands down it would be Smith in both cases. Smith had the game’s most memorable play from the Rutherford 10-yard line on third-and-goal with six minutes left and Butler ahead 20-13.
Smith rolled to his left, escaped one Rutherford defender, then scooted up the sidelines, somehow squeezing past two Rutherford tacklers and then a fourth near the goal line.
“Of course, I saw it, it was amazing, David is such a hard runner, he carries this team on his back, I expected nothing less,” Croker said. “He’s such a great player.”
Smith, who finished with 79 yards on the ground, just said he was trying to make something happen.
“I started rolling left and I am looking for CJ Bentley in the end zone, I was trying to run up to pull him down [to me] and he was covered,” Smith said. “Sometimes, in a championship game, we have to make a play and get in the end zone and I was happy I was able to do it.”
Evan Croker bites Rutherford
The 6-foot-2 junior had one of the biggest plays in the game in the second quarter, taking a short out pass from Smith and racing 72 yards down to the Rutherford 14. On the next play, Smith connected with Croker again for a touchdown to make it 13-7. Butler never trailed again.
Smith praised his teammate, who finished with three catches for 119 yards and intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter.
“He’s going to take great control of this team next year,” Smith said. “I don’t think they will miss a beat when I am gone. He makes plays. I am excited to see what he’s going to do.”
What’s next for Butler?
Butler likely locked up the top seed in the North Group 1 playoffs. Last year, Butler lost in the Group 1 state semifinals to Cedar Grove.
After celebrating at the rock, Butler planned to shift focus to the playoffs.
“It’s a reminder of the type of potential we have, but we have a few more games left, this is great, but we’re focused on a few more things,” Smith said.
