Rusty Bono '79

Russell “Rusty” Bono

Russ Bono is from the Merritt Square section of Philadelphia. He attended Hopkinson Grade school before attending North. Bono became a Two-time 1^st team All-Catholic selection for the Falcons (1977 & 1978). Bono was also a two-time PCL & City Champion as a junior and senior. Russ holds the PCL record for scoring 5 goals in a single PCL championship game against St Joe’s Prep in 1977. He also scored a goal in the 1978 PCL final against Archbishop Carroll, making Bono one of only 8 players in PCL history to score goals for the winning team in two different PCL title games.

Bono played his collegiate soccer at LaSalle University under Coach Bill Wilkinson where he starred from 1979 to 1982. In his freshman and Senior campaigns his LaSalle teams won ECC titles. Rusty was a 3 time MAC-ECC All-League player while at LaSalle (79, 81 & 82). He was named to the All Region 2^nd team in both 1979 & 82. Bono scored the game-winning goal in overtime to help the Explorers to the 1982 ECC Championship. Bono scored 32 career goals as an Explorer (4^th All time) despite missing the 1980 season due to injury. He is 5^th All-time in points with 71. He is also 9^th in the LaSalle record books with 13 goals in one season (1982) and his 30 Points in that season (1982) puts him at 7^th All-time at LaSalle. He also lettered in baseball for one season.

After LaSalle Rusty Bono returned to North and coached as an assistant to his father Russ Bono Sr. in the late 80s. Rusty continues in soccer as a Head coach of boys and girls youth soccer teams in the Philadelphia and New Jersey areas. In 2007 Rusty Bono joined his dad Russ, Sr. and became a member of the SE Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of fame. In 2015 he was inducted into the LaSalle University Athletic Hall of Fame. Today Rusty lives in Pennsauken NJ with his wife Karen.