Handing off record: Central Valley senior Beau Butner surpasses Scott Campbell’s 2003 GSL single-game rushing mark

Beau Butner had a game Friday night for the record books, but nobody knew it at the time.

Everyone thought it was at least close, but it took several days and review of the game film to confirm it.

After team and independent review, it was confirmed that Butner broke the 21-year-old Greater Spokane League single-game record for rushing yards.

With his last carry of the game, Butner edged Scott Campbell’s 2003 total of 366 yards for East Valley – by a single yard – to take over the top spot for rushing yards in a game.

Butner carried 23 times total for 367 yards – including touchdown runs of 8, 28, 58, 79, 72 and 4 yards – as Central Valley downed Ridgeline 66-35 to move to 4-1 on the season.

“It’s just crazy that (the record) kind of just came just naturally through the course of the game,” Butner said. “And then obviously, I’ve got to give credit to my offensive line and all my guys around me.”

Campbell took time off of work on Tuesday to go the Bears’ practice and meet Butner in a symbolic “handing off” of the record.

“I was just humbled, really,” Campbell said of his record falling. “Everything that I worked for and strived for back then, it’s nice to know that God gave me the ability to show these kids and give them the chance to work toward something. And I’m very glad that, you know, finally, after 21 years, a kid actually got the record.”

“(Campbell) was an absolute stud in high school and ran … just right down your throat,” Central Valley coach – and Beau’s dad – Ryan Butner said. “For (Campbell) to be able to come out here and do this was incredible today.”

“I was definitely glad to meet (Beau) and be able to talk to him about his future and his future goals,” Campbell said. “To be able to pass the torch, pass the record on to him. It’s been nice having it for these 21 years, and he’ll have it for a long time.”

Butner had more than 200 yards in a back-and-forth first half as he broke off runs of 28, 58 and 78 yards. CV scored on four straight possessions in the second half to pull away from the Falcons.

“The confidence went through the roof,” Butner said. “I mean, every drive I felt more and more confident. Our offensive line, they’ve gotten better every single game.”

“It’s exciting that he had the chance to do that,” Ryan Butner said. “I’ve had the opportunity to hear from a lot of friends from the past that have reached out and just offered congratulations. And our community and our building has been incredible.”

“But you know, the next day, we were going over film, looking at my pass (protection), which wasn’t very good,” Beau Butner said. “We were looking at stuff to work on right away.”

Ryan Butner described the couple of days it took to verify the record as “emotional” and “exhausting,” but is thankful to have shared the experience with his son. In the middle of a potential playoff season, though, he said he’ll reflect on the record and appreciate it a little more after the season is over.

“For me, we won a big game on Friday night, and then we had to turn our attention to Cheney,” Ryan Butner said. “Not to sound very (Bill) Belichick-esque, but we kind of had to move on, because we have a difficult game coming up this Friday that we need to win.”

Campbell, in addition to the single-game record he held for two-plus decades, is still third on the GSL single-season (1,846) and career (3,340) rushing list. He sits behind former NFL running back Bishop Sankey (Gonzaga Prep) and CV’s Tyree Clowe on both lists.

Campbell set the record – passing Gonzaga Prep’s Ryan Simpson by just 3 yards – on Sept. 11, 2003. In fact, the top six highest-rushing yard games in league history are separated by just 12 yards (see fact box).

“I don’t remember a lot about that game. It was, ‘Go, go, go,’ and just lower my shoulder, blow up the hole, you know, and just run,” Campbell said. “Then all of a sudden, the game was over, and they were telling me, ‘Oh, you broke the record.’ So, they knew during the game – they all knew, apparently. And this is news to me, within like, the last week. They all knew, but our coach said, ‘Do not tell him he’s getting close to it.’ ”

Now, Butner’s name will top them all on the single-game list.

“That’s insane,” Beau Butner said. “(Sankey) is just a guy that is obviously really well known, so to be able to pass him is an honor, really. I’ve been a ball boy since I was in kindergarten, you know? Just to be able to kind of leave behind a legacy is pretty cool.”

Ryan Butner was a varsity assistant coach for CV the night Campbell set his record, and is a close friend of Clowe’s.

“Between Tyree, between Scott, and seeing the incredible running backs that have come through our league – Bishop Sankey and Skylar Jessen, and on and on and on – for (Beau) to be able to do that was pretty cool,” he said.

Butner is the latest player at CV to wear Clowe’s No. 22 as part of the football program’s “22 Legacy.”

“I think as a coach’s kid, you’re just involved in this process from the time you were born,” Ryan Butner said of his son. “You’re born into it, and we talk about it. Our coaching staff talks about all these guys, and he knows these names, and we talked about them as legacies. Hopefully, he’s left a mark.”