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This was the sort of game that made you remember why high school football can be so terrific, with its volatile mix of grace, unpredictability and testosterone.
Butler's 31-24 win Friday night against Independence fulfilled the pregame hype, packing touchdowns and turnovers into every couple of minutes. When it was over, Independence coach Tom Knotts said Butler was "the real deal." But Knotts also vowed: "I hope we play them once more in the playoffs. Because they won't beat us again. I'm sure of that."
In the meantime, Butler was celebrating on Independence's field. "This is indescribable," said Bulldogs junior quarterback Christian LeMay, whom you will one day see starting at quarterback for a major Division I-A school. "Coach Knotts called us the puppies before this game. Well, these puppies came in here ready to fight."
They certainly did. So did Independence. The contest featured three touchdown passes of at least 65 yards and felt like a video game as I watched from the sideline. Every play seemed to feature a first down, turnover or bone-cracking hit.
With both teams undefeated this late in the season, the stadium felt like something big was happening all night. It wouldn't have been right for one team to run away with the victory.
And although it seemed like Butler would for a while after leaping to a 24-7 lead and intercepting Independence quarterback Anthony Carrothers four times during the first half, the Bulldogs had to fight off one final Independence challenge.
The Patriots did themselves proud during the final minutes. Carrothers rebounded from that awful first 24 minutes with a big-time second half.
Carrothers is something else - a 5-foot-8 quarterback who is Independence's best passer, runner, punter and punt returner. I halfway expected him to be manning the concession stand at halftime, too.
Carrothers led Independence back from a 31-10 deficit to within 31-24, and then he threw another long-bomb beauty to get the Patriots inside Butler's 20 with about two minutes to go.
But then Butler caused a fumble. The Bulldogs' Alex Polofsky recovered it and Butler eventually ran out the clock for a taut and well-deserved victory.
Butler's win was good for the county's best current rivalry - which might resume again in a few weeks in the state playoffs and deserves a far bigger venue the next time around. That only 4,250 people were able to see this one live was a crime.
Butler has long been the little brother in this rivalry. Independence has a sign at its stadium noting its state championships in relentless fashion - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006. Butler has no such sign.
But the Patriots aren't quite as good as they used to be - particularly, they seem smaller - and Butler has gotten even better. Independence had no answer for 220-pound Butler running back Jawaun Edwards, who was as tough to tackle as a refrigerator.
The Bulldogs were the bigger, deeper and more disciplined team Friday.
"Knott Gonna Happen," read a banner in front of the Butler fans, referring to Knotts' dominance against Butler and predicting its end.
Knott this time, at least.
But a game this good deserves a rematch. I hope we get one soon.
