Senior Alex Russo is one of Masco’s best linemen, starting on both sides of the ball, and has one of the most inspirational stories you’ll hear about a young athlete.
Russo is currently the head of the offensive line at center, leading an incredible unit to a 3-0 record early this season. The key to Russo’s game is just how badly he wants it, and that is clearly evident in his tenacious defensive line play.
The Middleton native refuses to be outworked, even after hearing he’d never play sports again. In February of 2024, Russo suffered a tragic skiing accident that resulted in devastating injuries: three broken neck bones (spinous process), three broken ribs, a broken humerus (arm), a punctured lung, a major concussion, and severe nerve damage to both his radial nerve (tricep) and axillary nerve (shoulder). The accident was a huge blow to Russo and the entire Masconomet football program.
Most high school kids would have hung up their cleats and focused on recovery, but not “Big Al” Russo. He worked tirelessly, day and night, determined to get back to the gridiron.
“After the injury, to get back on the field, I had to go through eight total months of recovery, including two invasive surgeries on my arm,” said Russo. “I drove 45 minutes two times a week to Woburn to go to physical therapy, spent two days a week at Mike Boyle’s Strength and Conditioning, and each day I went to Lifetime [gym] at 5:15 before school to build my strength and do my at-home physical therapy.”
Russo is a warrior, but the recovery process was grueling.
“Mentally, it was draining, with the hardest part being the monthly visit to Doctor Kimbol in Waltham,” Russo said. “Each month, I would go in after training and recovery, expecting to hear the words, ‘You’re cleared to play,’ but ended up hearing each time that I needed more time, and the arm was still broken. Each visit during the season got more heartbreaking because time was slipping away. It felt like I was on the inside looking out on all my best friends enjoying Friday nights while I was left behind. However, my mom and dad were with me every day to do whatever it took to play again.”
After coming back for the tail end of his junior season, Russo wasn’t getting much playing time due to his arm still bothering him and needing a few weeks to get back into football shape. Despite being undersized for a lineman at 5’9” and 180 pounds, this year Russo has been among the NEC’s best linemen, consistently wreaking havoc on both sides of the ball.
Russo’s best game came last week against North Andover, when he dominated their offensive line, recording four tackles, two tackles for loss, and a huge third-down sack.
“My favorite football moment was the Thanksgiving game last year in the mud,” he said. “It was the first real game I was playing from start to finish. The mud started to rip up in warmups and the white jerseys were stained by the opening kickoff. After the game, I slid into the mud with the seniors like Chas Kelly and Cash Kornusky [both of whom have since graduated]. While I was covered with mud head to toe, I found my mom after the game—who was with me through it all—and gave her the biggest hug, getting mud all over her.”
With this being Masco’s best chance at an NEC and state title, Russo will continue to be the anchor as the Chieftains make their push.