PLAYER OF THE YEAR: It was only fitting that Matt Busher, arguably the best player in North Hunterdon football history, would end his illustrious Lions career by leading the team to its biggest win in decades.
With Busher throwing a pair of touchdowns, including a 34-yard game-winner to Jared McMahon in the third quarter, North Hunterdon avenged a loss to Phillipsburg by taking out the Stateliners in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 title game for the program’s first state championship since 1975.
Busher walked off the MetLife Stadium turf a state champion, having thrown for 2,433 yards and 20 touchdowns this season, his third as a starter, along with 538 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He also averaged 34.1 yards per punt.
For his career, Busher totaled 4,870 passing yards and 39 touchdowns to go with 1,252 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. He’s the all-time leader in passing yardage, rushing yardage for a quarterback and total yardage in Hunterdon County football history on top of owning just about every offensive record in North Hunterdon history. The Lions went 22-10 in games started by Busher, who will play baseball at Old Dominion but goes down as one of the best football players in West Jersey history.
Source: Lion Athletic News Mid-State 38 Football Player of the Year and other postseason honors, 2017 Mid-State 38 Football Player of the Year and other postseason honors, 2017
