BUTLER TWP — Want to play the numbers game with Nick Monteleone? Bring a calculator.

The senior and third-year Butler High School starting quarterback could leave the Golden Tornado program as its most productive signal-caller ever.

Considering Terry Hanratty played here and went on to Notre Dame, Troy Nunes played here and went on to Syracuse and Justin Papania threw for nearly 3,200 yards in two years at Butler, that's saying something.

And Monteleone is something.

"There's no telling what kind of numbers he's capable of putting up this year,"Butler coach Garry Cathell said. "It's hard to fathom.

"All I know is I've never had a quarterback this good. And he's such a great kid, a humble kid."

Indeed, Monteleone is a quiet interview. But the 6-foot-3, 190-pound quarterback speaks loudly on a football field.

He peaked toward the end of last season, throwing seven touchdown passes while being intercepted only four times in 155 pass attempts over the Tornado's final five games.

Monteleone threw for 189 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 242 yards and three scores in a 47-29 win over Seneca Valley in Week 9. He threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 116 yards and a score in a 37-20 win over Norwin in Week 10.

"During those two games, he had our entire package down pat,"said offensive coordinator Matt Savannah. "Nick's execution was flawless. He just couldn't be stopped.

"He'd come to the sidelines and we would just tell him to take the game over. Then we'd watch him do it."

They hope to watch him do it often this year. And Monteleone hopes to oblige.

"I want to throw for 2,000 yards this year," he said. "With the receivers and line that we have, there's no reason why we can't do that."

Mt. Lebanon defeated Butler 50-17 last season, a game in which Monteleone completed 26 of 39 passes for 255 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

"We had no clue how to contain him," Mt. Lebanon coach Chris Haering said after that contest. "You blitz him, he runs away from you. Sit back in coverage, he picks you apart.

"He made a couple of mistakes, that's all. If that kid's on his game — good luck."

Cathell is counting on his quarterback being on his game early and often this fall.

The mere presence of No. 12 standing behind center is enough to give defensive coordinators fits.

"When we went to the spread offense over those last five games, we got a good chance to see how opponents would approach defensing Nick,"Cathell said. "No one seemed to have an answer.

"I figured he could run a little bit, but not like he showed toward the end of the year. We'll definitely take advantage of his running skills more this year."

Savannah agreed.

"We knew he was a tough kid, that if he had to scramble, he could take a shot," Savannah said. "His cutting ability, his speed, how he'd make people miss — we weren't expecting that."

Monteleone rushed for 447 yards last year, leading the team in that category.

Is there room for a 1,000-yard rushing season alongside a 2,000-yard passing year by the same guy?

"I'm not betting against it,"Cathell said.

"I imagine I'll be running the ball more,"Monteleone said. "We can run it every play, as far as I'm concerned, if it means we're winning."

Randy Craig, a tackle and tri-captain along with Monteleone and fullback Ben Ashcraft, feels the same way.

"It's fun blocking for a quarterback who can do everything,"Craig said. "Just block the guy in front of you and let Nick do his thing. It's going to be exciting."

Cathell used the term "national recruit"in describing his quarterback's college potential. Some prep football experts have referred to Monteleone as the best high school quarterback in Pennsylvania this season.

A few other senior quarterbacks in the state have been offered early scholarships, however. Monteleone has not.

"He'd never say this, but I'm sure Nick's using that as motivation,"Cathell said. "He feels like he has something to prove."

Monteleone smiled broadly when posed that question.

"It's better that I didn't get offered early," he said. "I might have taken it and slacked off on the field a little bit, knowing the college deal was already taken care of.

"I can't wait to play. I haven't even begun to sort through schools. My mind is on this season and what we can accomplish."

Statistical success hasn't slowed Monteleone's work ethic. He wants to see success in the Quad North standings.

"Nick is still one of the first kids to get to practice and the last kid to leave,"Cathell said. "He was the first one in the weight room this past off-season.

"After the regular season was over last year, he showed up (in the coaches office) and was breaking down film."

Monteleone has the freedom to call audibles at the line of scrimmage as he reads the defensive alignment. He has a plenty of experienced skilled players around him.

"We're putting the ball in the hands of our best player on every snap. That's a good place to start," Savannah said.