Butler Aviators name new football coach

Cates, a member of the Arcanum High School Athletics Hall of Fame, was 38-18 at Covington and led the Buccs to the playoffs four times.

He previously coached at Twin Valley South, where he was Division VI Southwest District Coach of the year in 2014.

Having started in 1901, Butler is one of the area football programs that is more than a century old.

The Aviators have 11 league championships, eight playoff appearances and made the state final four in 2001.

Cates replaces John Puckett, who went 6-5 and made the playoffs in his first season (2018) but were 2-8 each of the last two seasons.