RallyNorth.net

Methuen’s Buco ‘amazing’ in loss

Friday, October, 31 By Alan Siegel
Staff writer

NORTH ANDOVER — Methuen’s Jason Buco spent most of yesterday’s postgame meeting sprawled out on the turf.

“I’ve never been this tired before,” he said.

Nobles had just dealt Brooks a 30-27 defeat. The junior turned in a spectacular performance in the loss, returning an interception 98 yards for a touchdown, catching two passes for 31 yards and filling in valiantly at quarterback for Jordan Johnson, who like Buco, suffered leg cramps in the second half.

“We fought hard. We could’ve given up,” Buco said. “But we came back.”

Trailing 20-14 early in the fourth in the fourth quarter, Brooks was in trouble. Rocket-armed, 6-foot-5 quarterback McCallum Foote, who came into the game with 16 touchdown passes, drove the Bulldogs to the Brooks 2-yard line.

On second down, Foote (10 for 13, 218 yards) looked for Mike Reardon (5 catches, 142 yards). Instead of faking a screen pass and going over the top, which Foote had done brilliantly up to that point, he went short. Buco, the cornerback defending the play, wasn’t biting this time.

“They’re on the 2-yard line,” he siad. “They couldn’t fake the screen there.”

His eyes lit up. “I can’t drop that,” he thought before snatching the ball and sprinting up the sideline.

“I didn’t think I’d make it all the way,” Buco said. “I looked back, I saw (Foote) chasing me and put it another gear. Somehow I got away.”

“Amazing,” coach Alex Konovalchik said of Buco. “Of course, starting with the interception return. It was a fantastic play. How many high school athletes dream about making a play like that?”

Brooks’ 21-20 lead was short lived. Nobles’ Sean Shakespeare (17 carries, 165 yards) answered with a 23-yard touchdown run at 5:23 in the fourth. Foote’s conversion scamper gave the Bulldogs a 28-21 advantage, but The Green and White refused to be knocked down.

On the game’s final drive, Johnson and Buco helped drive Brooks to the goal line. Joe Napolitano’s 1-yard plunge with 20 seconds on the clock left Konovalchik with a decision.

“There was no question in my head,” he said. “We wanted to go for the win.”

The play, 88-slip, called for a Buco rollout. Nobles’ line closed fast, but not before Buco got the ball off. The throw was strong, but the 6-5 Foote made a leaping pick, then took it 100 yards to paydirt.

Still, it did nothing to stain a memorable day for Buco and his teammates.

“They played with more heart,” Konovalchik said, “then I’ve ever seen a Brooks team play with.”