Photos Courtesy of Wartburg Athletics
A former Mid-Prairie athletic standout has been right in the middle of the one of the most successful periods of Wartburg Knight football in school history. Golden Hawk alum Tom Butters was a key member of the 2023 edition of the Knights that advanced to the NCAA Division III National Semifinals for the second straight year.
The Knights started the season 13-0, winning the American Rivers Conference Championship with an 8-0 record. They scored 41 points per game with an average margin of victory of four touchdowns. Butters, a senior tight end for the Knights, caught 43 passes for 454 yards and six touchdowns this season. He had two scoring grabs in a win over the University of Dubuque and one touchdown apiece in wins over Buena Vista, Loras, Nebraska Wesleyan and Whitworth. Butters had a season best 87 receiving yards on five catches in a win over Coe. Butters saved some of his best work for the Knight’s playoff run, matching his season best five grabs twice in the postseason, once in a first round win over Illinois College and again in a quarterfinal victory over perennial powerhouse University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. This week, Butters joined the KCII PM Sports Page to talk about memorable plays and games during the season and what his time for the orange and black has meant to him. Butters said, “The Dubuque game was a great game. I caught the ball in the flat, made the first defender miss when I threw on the brakes and walked right into the end zone. Against Whitworth, I got a back shoulder ball. I had to jump for it and I had a defender right on me. I had one foot in, right in front of the student section and the crowd went nuts. It was an awesome catch. (Against UW-Whitewater) I remember their D-line being huge Wisconsin boys. I barely remember (the celebration) when the clock hit zero, we were just freaking out. That win is a testament to our team success these last two years. Everybody said, ‘we are the greatest team Wartburg has ever assembled’. By beating a team like (Whitewater), you really understand how it affects the community. We had people texting that were alums from 2000. Having one last shot to play with guys that I had come to befriend at Wartburg was special. I have made a lot of great friends. We’re family now and we all figured out that we were going to come back for one last dance. That was one of the greatest experiences I have had in my life!”
The Knights saw their undefeated season draw to a close in the National Semifinals of the DIII Playoffs in a 34-27 loss at home to top ranked and eventual National Runner-up North Central College of Illinois. Butters ends his Wartburg career with 32 games played 83 catches, 978 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a part of 43 wins for the Knights during his time on campus and was twice named All-American Rivers Conference.
You can hear the full interview with Butters during the January 3rd and 4th editions of the KCII PM Sports Page.