The morning of Dan Buron’s 301st game as head coach at Bridgewater-Raynham started much like the previous 300.
He woke up early, drove to his office and put on some film.
But soon he realized there was nothing left to glean from watching another snap. No secrets left to extract. He’d coached against Brockton’s Peter Colombo enough times.
So he flicked it off and for the next hour quietly reflected on a coaching life.
“I realized I’m a lucky guy,” he said through red-rimmed eyes following a 28-19 loss to Brockton Saturday in the inaugural Southeast Conference championship game. “I have a beautiful family. I have great friends. I’ve been fortunate to coach at Bridgewater-Raynham, my alma mater. It’s not about me, it’s about the kids.”
If you’ve spent any time around Buron, you’ve heard that phrase. In the seven minutes he spent with reporters after his final game he used it three times.
“It’s really not about me, it’s about these kids,” he insisted.
For Buron, those aren’t empty words. Saturday’s loss marked his final game as head coach of the Trojans after 28 seasons, 207 wins (and 91 losses . . . and two ties), seven Super Bowl appearances and two state championships (1998 and 2000). But none of those statistics were at the forefront of his mind as he posed for teary-eyed photos with his seniors.
“I’m so proud of anybody who ever put a B-R football uniform on,” he said. “There’s been a lot of them and they have a special place in my heart. I hope I did them all right.”
Running back Anthony Morrison — who had just finished rushing for 142 yards and a score, giving him 1,225 yards and 13 touchdowns in five games — was one of those players.
“Freshman year, I was a shy little quarterback and he’s developed me into being a man through hard work and dedication,” said the Williams-bound senior. “He’s taught me so much. I owe a lot of my success here to Coach Buron and I’m definitely going to miss him.”
Added senior lineman Andrew Denneno: “He’s the best coach I’ve had. He knows how to push us to our absolute limit and get the best out of us. He knows how to make us the best players we can be. He pushes us further than we think we can go. He’s a great coach.”
But Buron’s Hall of Fame coaching legacy was far from guaranteed when he was hired to replace Frank Almeida in 1993 at the ripe age of 31. Buron was a former Trojans fullback, tight end and middle linebacker under coach Paul Urban. After graduating from B-R in 1980 he played outside linebacker and defensive end at Holy Cross.
After coaching stops at Wareham, Bishop Feehan and Bourne, he landed at his alma mater. Three years later he took his first team to the Super Bowl. Between 1996 and 2001 the Trojans reached five Super Bowls, winning two of them. They returned with back-to-back appearances in 2009 and 2010.
Known on the sidelines for his expressive style, Buron’s reputation could be intimidating for an incoming freshman.
“At first, it can be scary when you’re 13 years old and you hear a guy yelling,” Denneno said. “But, when you get to know him, he’s a great guy. Off the field, he’s the nicest guy I know.”
“He’s the best coach I’ve ever had,” echoed senior lineman Billy Donnelly. “He’s a hard-nosed guy. He’ll get on you when you mess up, but be the first guy to congratulate you when you make a big play. It sucks this is the end.”
While Buron’s final game at the helm for B-R didn’t have a storybook ending, it still showcased the tough, gritty Buron approach.
“This is my 301st game and there was only one game I could look back and say B-R didn’t play hard all four quarters. That’s all I ask them to do,” he said. “I’m so proud of a lot of things, as I look back. I’ve been surrounded by so many good people. … It’s been a great ride for me.”
But don’t expect the ride to be over entirely.
“I’ll take next fall off and then I’d like to be back,” Buron said. “I was lobbying for a job with Peter (Colombo) in the (Boston) Herald the other day. I like coaching. I just need to take a little time off. I think I learned that last fall.”
Buron, also longtime basketball official, will be retiring as the school’s athletic director in June after 17 years.
Extra points
▪ The Ferullos had their fingerprints all over North Andover’s 27-20 Friday night road win against Dracut. Steven, Jack, and Brian Ferullo each made an impact in the win — the first time ever that the three brothers have played in the same game.
“They push each other in a positive way,” said coach John Dubzinski. “They bring the best out of each other, which is great.”
Steven, a senior captain, operates as the workhorse running back for the 2-3 Scarlet Knights. Jack Ferullo offers more elusiveness as a junior halfback while doubling as a linebacker.
Brian plays linebacker as well, but he had to battle some bad luck to join his brothers. The sophomore sprained his ankle earlier in the year. He then joined the JV squad and was promptly sidelined for 10 days due to COVID-19 contract tracing from a matchup with Malden Catholic.
“We knew going into the game [Friday] that they were all gonna play,” Dubzinski said, “so I said, ‘[Steven], have you guys ever played together on the same team?’ He said no.”
Dubzinski says the trio holds each other accountable in practice. One-on-one drills create a special energy when brother faces brother. All three earn praise for their toughness.
“Nothing really rattles them,” Dubzinski said. “They’re physical; they don’t shy away from contact. They’re prototypical football players in their own right.”
▪ North Quincy senior Liam Hines was the Sunday star, churning out 161 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries as the Red Raiders (3-1) shut out Quincy, 21-0, in the 88th edition of their rivalry game. Hines also racked up 8 tackles at free safety. Junior linebacker Michael Gorman had a team-high 9 tackles, and senior fullback/defensive end Sean Jackson was immense on special teams (3 tackles).
▪ The South Shore League used the future MIAA power ratings system (planned for the statewide format beginning in Fall 2021) to seed its crossover championship game next weekend. The result: Middleborough, at 3-1, will host Tobin Division champion Abington (4-1) Friday night at 6, instead of 5-0 Rockland, due to strength of schedule. Middleborough’s loss came against Division 1 power Bridgewater-Raynham. The other SSL crossovers: Mashpee/Rockland, East Bridgewater/Cohasset, Norwell/Hull.
▪ Due to a slew of postponements, the Catholic Conference has decided to forego it’s plan for a four-team playoff to determine the league champion this spring. Instead, the conference will play a seven-week schedule with the best record earning a league title. This allows postponed matchups — such as the showdown between No. 1 Catholic Memorial and No. 4 Xaverian — to be rescheduled, with the undefeated contenders battling Saturday at 12 p.m. in West Roxbury.
▪ The Greater Boston League delayed the start of its Fall II season to April 23, with football games kicking off that week. The GBL will play a condensed schedule in April and May with Everett traveling to Revere for a key showdown on May 14.
Ethan Fuller and Nate Weitzer also contributed to this story.
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A football lifer, Bridgewater-Raynham coach Dan Buron reflects on a time well spent in the game - The Boston Globe
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