Published in the November 23, 2016 edition
THE 8–2 HORNET FOOTBALL TEAM is looking forward to the annual Thanksgiving Day showdown with Lynnfield. Front row, left to right:, Joe Gonthier, Nick Dell Isola, Jake Zelikman, Michael Quaratiello, Drew Delano, John Merullo (C), Matthew McCarthy (C), Bob O’Donnell (C), Robert Donohue, Dylan Beauregard, Thomas McHugh. Second row, from left: Alec Degregorio, Josh Bedell, Tommy Patch, Kyle Bythrow, Ryan Edison, Tim Sanger, Michael Brown, Nick Arena, Jake Bedell, Lionel Beane, Mike Luciano. Third row, from left: Kevin Farrelly, Daniel Sweeney, Kevin Brown, Xavier Scribner, Kyle Conley, Jack DeAngelo, Nick Powell, Matthew Jaroncyk, Colin Boucher. Fourth row, from left: Matt Farro, Mike Sheridan, Michael DiStasio, Mike Mikula, Alex D’Ambrosio, Dylan Cole, Billy Shaw, Matt Penley, Sammy Hamdar, Matt Solecki, Matthew Capozzoli. Fifth row from left: Brandon Ouellette, Jordan Madden, Chris Gwozdz, Matthew Conley, Jack Keller, Billy Lord, Giovanni Colucciello, Michael Duquette, Jimmy Currier. Sixth row, from left: Sean McCullough, Cam Randazzo, Jared Long, Jack Rich, Aidan Carucci, John Muise, Jared Zimmerman, Matthew Luciano, Joey Frammartino, Ryan Kavanaugh, Greg Demetri. Back row, from left: Matt Dorothy, assistant coach, Ed Blum, assistant coach, Jeff Wall, head coach, Mario Perrone, Nick McGovern, Daniel Ryan, Eric Benecke, Nick Tormey, Chuck Campobasso, assistant coach, Eric Archambault, assistant coach. Missing from photo: Stuart Glover, assistant coach Elias Reinoso, assistant coach Jim Brown. (Bob Turosz Photo)
By ANDREW MOUNTER
NORTH READING — Throw the turkey in the oven, take a short drive over to Lynnfield and get ready for a football shoot–out on Thanksgiving Day as the North Reading Football Hornets will take on their next door neighbor, the Lynnfield Pioneers, for the 58th time on Thursday morning. Even though both teams are playing for town pride alone, this match up is a special one this year because it’s a rare occasion in which both teams are going into the game as division champions. North Reading took the co–championship of the Kinney (large schools) Division of the Cape Ann League with a record of 8-2 and 3-1 within their division while Lynnfield won the Baker (small schools) division of CAL with a record of 6-4 but went undefeated in their division, by going 4-0.
TWENTY JUNIORS will take the field on Thanksgiving Day to help the Hornets win their ninth game of the season against arch–rival Lynnfield. First row, from left: Matthew Jaroncyk, Tommy Patch, Kyle Conley, Alec Degregorio, Josh Bedell, Nick Powell. Second row: Xavier Scribner, Mike Luciano, Jack DeAngelo, Nick Arena, Jake Bedell, Kyle Bythrow, Ryan Edison. Third row: Kevin Farrelly, Daniel Sweeney, Lionel Beane, Michael Brown, Colin Boucher, Tim Sanger, Kevin Brown. (Bob Turosz Photo)
The 2016 edition of the Hornets are led offensively by junior quarterback Kyle Bythrow and senior captain running back Matt McCarthy. Bythrow had over 1,000 all-purpose yards this season as he threw for 376 yards with three touchdowns and ran for another 639 yards on 97 carries with nine touchdowns. McCarthy had a season for the ages, in North Reading or anywhere else. After having an impressive 2015 junior campaign, he took it to another level in 2016, surpassing his brother C.J.’s school rushing record by running for 1,786 yards on 190 carries, good for an amazing 9.4 yards per carry. McCarthy also crossed the goal line 23 times, 20 as the Hornets’ marquee running back, once as kick returner, once as a punt returner, and once a defender when he picked off a pass and took it to the house for six points. Going into Thursday’s game, McCarthy is a close second in Division 2A total scoring, slightly behind Mike Pedrini of Melrose.
McCarthy was helped out immeasurably by an outstanding offensive line led by senior captain Bobby O’Donnell and great blocking by senior captain and fullback John Merullo, and other members of the stalwart offensive line: Mike Quaratiello, Tim Sanger, Jack DeAngelo, Colin Boucher and Jake Bedell. Together they cleared the way for the Hornets’ mighty ground game all season.
Defensively, the Hornets were strong as well as they gave up an average of 15 points game and have only surrendered 20 points or more in three of their 10 contests. The defense is led at the line by O’Donnell and Quaratiello. Defensive backs are led by McCarthy, Merullo, Ryan Edison, Alex D’Ambrosio, Nick Dell Isola, Kyle Conley, and Robert Donohue.
The Pioneers in 2016 are led by quarterback Matt Mortellite, who threw for 1,500 yards on the season, completing 113 passes on 176 attempts, a 64 percent passing percentage, and connected for 19 touchdowns and six 2–point conversions. He also ran for 219 yards with two touchdowns. His favorite target through the air is Nick Kinnon, who caught 37 passes for 557 receiving yards with eight touchdowns.
This will be a compelling game because both teams are polar opposites, with North Reading relying on its ground–and–pound rushing attack while Lynnfield is happy to throw the ball.
The festivities start tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m., at Lynnfield High School.
