Clifton Duck’s 3 punt returns help Butler cruise
Three electrifying punt returns by Clifton Duck and a suffocating defense helped Butler cruise to a 52-3 victory in the first round of the N.C. 4AA playoffs.
Duck returned one punt 61 yards for a touchdown, and set up two more with long returns for the third-seeded Bulldogs. Butler, ranked No. 6 in the Sweet 16, held Providence to 55 yards of offense on 37 plays.
An Appalachian State commit, Duck also had an interception and nearly hauled in a highlight-reel catch that was overturned.
“Clifton made some great plays for us in the kicking game, and that really got us going,” Butler coach Brian Hales said. “They’ve got big plans for the postseason and we wanted to get off to a great start.”
Providence was within a touchdown after one quarter, but Butler scored on eight of nine possessions. Benny LeMay ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns, and Dirk Cureton had six catches for 135 yards.
Quote: “They got a great punter and all season I haven’t had any space between me and the gunners, but tonight I did,” Duck said. “They gave me an opportunity and I took it.”
Records: Butler is 10-2, while Providence finished the season 5-7.
Worth mentioning: A bright spot for Providence was punter Austin Kent, who averaged 45.4 yards on eight punts. Providence linebacker Jordan Fehr, who is also committed to Appalachian State, set up the Panthers’ field goal with an acrobatic interception.
The Bulldogs have won five straight games, and outscored their opponents 196-31 during the streak. The only team to score more than 14 points on Butler this season is Mallard Creek, which beat the Bulldogs 24-10 in the second week of the season. That also happens to be Butler’s next opponent.
“We’re a vastly different team now,” Hales said. “I think we’ve grown by leaps and bounds.”
Up next: Butler will face No. 6 Mallard Creek in the second round of the 4AA playoffs.
This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 10:35 PM with the headline "Clifton Duck’s 3 punt returns help Butler cruise."