Two games into the season, the numbers were borderline embarrassing.

With 36 attempts, 8 completions, 72 yards, two interceptions, no touchdowns, Butler sophomore quarterback Nick Monteleone indeed looked like a sophomore.

"His body looked like it was moving in slow-motion," said Butler quarterback coach Ralph McElhaney. "He was so methodical in everything he was doing."

Monteleone admittedly was being too cautious with his movements.

"I just didn't want to make any mistakes," he said. "It was my first taste of regular season varsity football. I was nervous. I didn't feel real comfortable."

Then came halftime of Week 3. The Golden Tornado were trailing Upper St. Clair 21-0 at intermission and the ground game had managed just 29 yards on 19 carries.

"I took Nick aside and told him we were going to have to throw the football," Butler coach Garry Cathell said. "It was our best chance to move it."

Monteleone completed nine of 18 passes for 89 yards in that second half, including his first touchdown toss to Noah Hartung.

The Upper St. Clair game marked the first of seven straight 100-yard passing games for the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Monteleone.

He threw for more than 100 yards against every Quad North opponent this season.

For the year, Monteleone completed 92 of 217 passes for 1,187 yards, six touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His touchdown passes went to five different receivers and Butler had eight players catch at least four passes this year.

"Nick saw the whole field," Cathell said. "He spread the ball around and that's rare for a young quarterback. He rarely locked in on one guy."

Hartung led the Tornado with 25 catches for 298 yards. Senior tight end Josh Wachter added 21 catches for 311 yards after missing the first few games with a broken arm.

"Once Josh came back, I felt like I had two go-to guys," Monteleone said. "I can't wait for next year. Most of the skilled guys are coming back."

Both running backs - 990-yard rusher Bob Alexander and fullback Ben Ashcraft - return in 2005 as do Hartung and fellow receivers Jordan Roycroft and Shane Snyder.

While that prospect excites Monteleone, he's more enthused about turning around this year's 1-9 season.

"We lost more games this year than I've lost as a quarterback in my life," he said. "I consider it a learning experience - growing pains.

"We know what it takes to win in this league now. … And we'll be back."

During three years at quarterback for East Side in the Butler Area Midget Football League, where he won one championship, junior high and freshman football, Monteleone lost a total of seven games.

Butler's freshman team was 6-1 with him at the helm in 2003."In truth, he could have started varsity as a freshman," McElhaney said. "Nick understood the system. But that was a senior-heavy team and they deserved an upperclassman at quarterback."Cathell said Monteleone will attend more quarterback camps this off-season to continue his progress."To throw for nearly 1,200 yards as a sophomore, in many games when teams knew we had to throw, was very impressive," Cathell said."Nick's the kind of kid you want leading in that huddle. He's confident, he works hard and his teammates respect him."The touchdown-interception ratio will improve. He has the perfect mentality for a quarterback. Nick doesn't get rattled and he doesn't get overly excited," Cathell added.He did get sacked, though - 25 times to be exact. Yet Monteleone still rushed for positive yardage on the season."For a kid his size, he can escape trouble and he's quick on his feet," Cathell said. "Nick is going to get bigger still. His frame hasn't filled out yet."McElhaney said Butler hasn't had a quarterback with this kind of potential since Troy Nunes.A four-year starter for the Tornado, Nunes went on to a solid collegiate career at Syracuse.Like Nunes, Monteleone recognized the opportunity to break into the varsity lineup early."Since January, he never missed a session in the weight room," McElhaney said of Monteleone. "He's a very coachable kid. It's his approach to the game that makes Nick so promising."Monteleone's long-term goal is to play quarterback in college. And he's already found a positive to take from this season."I learned how to be a better leader," he said. "Anyone can lead a team that's winning. It's tougher when you're facing adversity and things aren't going your way."Our seniors never stopped working hard this year, no matter what. I'll remember that work ethic - we all will - when we get this thing turned around," he added.