By Tim Peterson
Nick Bueno gets loose.
(Fullerton) – Nick Bueno only completed two passes. Of course when you run for over 200 yards and two touchdowns that’s all the completions you need. Bueno needed just 11 carries to gain 217 yards and two scores to lead Monrovia to a 27-13 win over Arcadia Thursday night at Fullerton High School to open the 2009 football season.
The game was supposed to be at Monrovia but was moved to Fullerton because of the fires that have ravaged the San Gabriel Valley hillsides the last couple of weeks. Both teams had limited practice time coming into the game as they held mostly indoor walk throughs.
But Bueno and the Cats made themselves right at home in Fullerton. Bueno scored on runs of 30 yards in the second quarter and 60 in the fourth. He had the Apache defense off balance all night on roll outs and naked bootlegs. It was a performance that can only be described as muy bueno. Sorry. I couldn’t resist.
“He’s just a special player,” said Monrovia Coach Ryan Maddox. “He can throw it too but tonight he was able to make big plays running the ball.”
Leading 12-7 early in the fourth quarter, Bueno broke off a 60 yard touchdown run that was one for the ages. He almost had his head taken off on what appeared to be a face mask early in the run, broke to the outside and left several defenders in his wake. Down near the goal line he busted a couple more tackles before sprinting into the end zone.
It was only 19-7 but it was the separation Monrovia needed. Arcadia drove down to the Wildcat 16 on the following drive before disaster struck. Dujawn Jones picked off Garrett Tuck in the end zone and after hesitating briefly, brought it out for a 102 yard touchdown return. It is reportedly the longest interception return in school history.
Instead of Arcadia cutting the lead to 19-14 it was 27-7 M-Town after Jones 102 yard dash. The Fullerton lights, which were dim already, were about to be turned out.
The Apaches scored late on a 38 yard screen pass from Tuck to Brian Lam with 1:28 left. Monrovia got the ball back and ran out the clock.
“Monrovia did a good job. They were better than us tonight,” said Arcadia Coach Jon Dimalante. He didn’t think the limited practices came into play. “We had limited practices but so did they. That’s no excuse,” Dimalante said.
Tuck completed 20 0f 38 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns but was hurt by two interceptions. Tuck tossed a three yard scoring pass to David Schuil in the first quarter to put Arcadia up 7-6 in addition to the screen pass for a score to Lam.
“I thought our quarterback did a good job overall tonight,” Dimalante said.
Danny Caldera’s five yard run capped a 14 play Monrovia drive that lasted late in the first quarter into early in the second. Later in the quarter, Bueno faked a handoff up the middle and raced uncontested up the right side into the end zone to give Monrovia a 12-7 halftime edge.
Craig Brown added 48 yards rushing on 10 carries for Monrovia. David Maldonado was the workhorse for Arcadia with 16 carries for 74 yards.
Summary
A 0 7 0 6 13
M 0 12 0 15 27
2nd Qtr:
M 11:56 Caldera 5 yd run (Kick Failed)
A 5:51 Schuil 3 yd pass from Tuck (Gavin Carpenter Kick)
M 4:39 Bueno 30 yd run (2 pt run failed)
4th Qtr:
M 8:59 Bueno 60 yd run (Christian Blanco Kick)
M 3:18 Dujawn Jones 102 yd Int. Ret. (Blanco run- 2 pt)
A 1:28 Lam 38 yd screen pass from Tuck (Kick Failed)
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