LUKE DISILVIO breaks a tackle on his way to a 52-yard TD catch in Lynnfield’s 28-6 win over Pentucket on Friday night. (Shlok Kudrimoti Photo)
After press time:
Lynnfield defeats Hamilton Wenham 59-7 (Nov. 1)
By JAMES CRANNEY
MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA – Two months ago when the MIAA released the 2024 football schedule, the Lynnfield Pioneers were already facing an uphill battle.
With an 8-game schedule, football teams in Massachusetts are accustomed to playing four regular season games at home and four away. This year though, Lynnfield’s schedule had a different look, with only three games at home and five coming on the road. The Pioneers never complained, taking the inconvenient schedule head on.
After dropping their first game at North Attleboro, Lynnfield went on to win five games in a row with three of them coming on the road. Last Friday night, the 5-1 Pioneers looked to secure another victory as the visiting team against 5-1 Manchester-Essex. When it was all said and done, Lynnfield did just that, cruising to a 28-6 win.
The Hornets received the ball to start the game, but didn’t go far. Lynnfield’s defense set the tone on the very first snap, as a Manchester-Essex ball carrier was engulfed in the backfield. Senior Alex Fleming knocked down a Hornet pass the next play, and a short completion of only 3-yards sent Manchester-Essex’s offense back to the sideline.
When it comes to putting points on the board, the 2024 Pioneers have had zero trouble. Going into last Friday night’s game, Lynnfield’s offense had scored on their last 10 consecutive drives. As the Pioneers took the field for their first offensive opportunity of the night, it would soon be 11.
Senior captain quarterback Tyler Adamo (13-20, 230 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown) got things started with a quick screen pass to senior receiver Madux Iovinelli (6 catches, 91 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown). Following a pickup of 8-yards, the Pioneers advanced into Manchester-Essex territory with a balanced rushing and passing attack.
A 17-yard scramble from Adamo got the ball to the Hornet 1-yard line. From there, the QB called his number again and punched it in for the game’s first touchdown. After the Massimo LoGrasso (4/4 PAT’s) extra point, Lynnfield led 7-0.
Despite the early three-and-out, Manchester Essex’s offense found their footing on the second possession. Attacking the Pioneers on the ground, the Hornets ran the ball on 14 out of their 16 plays, marching 62-yards in 7 minutes and 45 seconds.
With their own end zone at their heels, the Lynnfield defense needed to make a play.
WALTER RADULSKI and the Pioneer defense were lights out yet again in Lynnfield’s 28-6 win over a strong Pentucket team on Friday night. (Kiera Mallett Photo)
On 4th and 7 at the Pioneer 7-yard line, Hornet quarterback Zach Hurd tried scrambling right to avoid the blitz off the edge. There may have been some daylight ahead for Hurd, but that quickly vanished when Iovinelli, followed by a host of white jerseys wrapped him up for a turnover-on-downs.
“A very proud moment for the defense,” said Lynnfield head coach Pat Lamusta on the early 4th down stop. “Our guys had the sense that they would likely go to their best player when they needed the conversion, and to see a bunch of our guys swarm like that and get our offense back out on the field was huge. That play was an example of everyone fitting their run gap and encircling the ball carrier.”
The Pioneers took over at their own 2-yard line with a lot of green grass between themselves and the end zone. However, a 14-yard jet pass to senior captain Jesse Dorman (2 catches, 25 receiving yards) and 20-yard run by senior Spencer D’Augusta (4 rushes, 24 rushing yards) got Lynnfield out of the hole.
Five plays later, the Pioneers had reached the Manchester-Essex 30-yard line. On 1st and 10, Adamo rolled to his right then dumped it off left to senior receiver George Lambros (1 catch, 30 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown) who made one man miss before following his blockers to the end zone for a 30-yard score.
Leading 14-0, Lynnfield’s offense had now scored on the past 12 consecutive series. They failed to make it 13 though after the Pioneers fumbled in the red zone in the final minutes of the first half. Manchester-Essex had a chance in the last minute of the 2nd quarter but a sack from Fleming kept the lead at 14.
Lynnfield got the ball to start the second half and began slowly marching into Hornet territory. Taking up nearly half of the 3rd quarter, the Pioneers methodically moved the ball 73-yards in 11 plays. Following a 19-yard completion to junior Luke DiSilvio (3 catches, 73 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown), Lynnfield looked the junior’s way again.
DiSilvio received a handoff and almost bullied his way to the goal line before being brought down at the 7-yard line. A scrambling Adamo found Iovinelli two plays later who ran it in for his sixth touchdown reception of the season making it 21-0.
In desperate need of a score, the Hornets were once again in Lynnfield territory facing 4th and 5 from the Pioneers 35-yard line. With the game on the line, Manchester-Essex tried an option run but as soon as senior captain Walter Radulski got his arms around the Hornet quarterback, it was all over.
The Hornets eventually scored late, but a 52-yard touchdown pass from Adamo to DiSilvio held the home team at bay for a 28-6 win.
The calendar now turns to November, where the games only get bigger.
Lynnfield, who is ranked No. 4 in Div. 6 behind only Hudson, Stoneham and Fairhaven, returns home next week for the regular season finale against 1-6 Hamilton-Wenham. Given the Generals record, it is a game many are expecting the Pioneers to dominate. Coach Lamusta knows if his team wants to build some momentum entering the playoffs, his players cannot think or prepare this way.
“Every Cape Ann League game is competitive and we historically have great games against the Generals,” says Lamusta. “They present a variety of formations, so defensively it will be an opportunity for us to work on a variety of fronts and coverages. We have to get out there and make gains this week and compete. November is here.”
