The Bullis Bulldogs took the field on Friday night with clear eyes, and heavy hearts, as they played their first game since the loss of their head coach Ray Butler.
Butler suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage three weeks ago, while addressing his players after a pre-season scrimmage. On Friday, Potomac, Maryland saw the Bullis community showed up in force to honor the man they called “Coach Ray.”
Many wore shirts or carried signs with the hashtag “play for Ray.” It was an emotional evening, as Bullis football team members mourned a man who pushed them to be both scholars and athletes, and families mourned someone they cared about and who cared about them.
The absence of Butler, whose fatal brain hemorrhage took place on Aug. 24, was deeply felt.