Published in the December 3, 2015 edition
LYNNFIELD RUNNING BACK Drew McCarthy tries desperately to recover his fumble in the second quarter but he’s about to be denied by the Hornet defense, including senior Nic O’Connell, (55), Mike Quaratiello, (70), Brian Cotter, (51), who made the actual recovery and Bob O’Donnell, (52). The fumble led directly to Angelo Disanto’s field goal that put North Reading ahead, 10–8. (Bob Turosz Photo)
By ANDREW MOUNTER
NORTH READING — For the second straight Thanksgiving in a row the North Reading Football Hornets were defeated by the Lynnfield Pioneers on Thanksgiving Day, 28–10, this time at home on the Arthur Kenney Field in the finale of the 2015 season. Despite the loss, this was one of the most successful seasons the Hornets have had in recent memory, with their first playoff appearance in 30 years and finishing with an 8–3 record.
For Hornet Head Coach Jeff Wall, this one of his favorite teams he has coached in his 12 year–long tenure.
“This team has a ton of heart,” said coach Wall. “This was a great season. During the year we went through, there were some tough games and I saw a team with a will to win. There were so many times during the year when I thought it could go either way and this team just stepped up. They played with pride and courage.”
The victory improved Lynnfield’s lead in the 57–year–old Thanksgiving game rivalry between the two clubs to 35–22.
IN THE END ZONE. Sophomore quarterback Kyle Bythrow scores the Hornets’ only touchdown of the game on this run. At left is senior Nick Copelas. (John Friberg Photo)
Lynnfield got on the board first with a touchdown from quarterback Jake McHugh from 4 yards out. Then the Pioneers went for the 2– point conversion in a strange formation that would have made New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick proud. The direct snap went to fullback Drew Balestrieri who went into end zone for the two points: 8-0 Lynnfield, halfway through the first quarter.
North Reading proceeded to then mount one of their best sustained offensive drives of the season that went for 18 plays, 80 yards, eating up 9 minutes and 52 seconds, and concluded with a quarterback rush from sophomore Kyle Bythrow from 3 yards out. Instead of chasing points, North Reading went for the extra point which was kicked by senior Angelo Disanto. Lynnfield led, 8–7 with 7:14 left in the second quarter.
North Reading would take its first and only lead of the ball game on their next possession. After Brian Cotter recovered a Pioneer fumble at the Lynnfield 14 yard line, Disanto was asked again to come through, this time via the field goal. The senior hit the ball over and through the goal posts from 32 yards out, for the 10–8 North Reading lead. These would the last points in Disanto’s high school career as he was almost automatic in the kicking game for the Green and Goal throughout his tenure as kicker.
Lynnfield answered and took the lead for good on the second touchdown run by McHugh, this time from 19 yards out but this time the two point conversion was stopped by the Hornet defense. The game was 14–10 at halftime.
The second half was all Lynnfield as the Pioneers put their size advantage to good use. Three of their line players were well over 6 feet and 250 pounds and simply wore down the Hornets, who were having a hard time keeping up.
Lynnfield owned all the scoring in the third quarter with touchdowns from Balestrieri on the ground and from backup quarterback Alex Soden through the air, a 28 yard strike to CJ Finn. Dan Bronshvayg made both extra point tries to give Lynnfield the 28–10 victory.
For the 8–3 Green and Gold it was a great season but the three losses came at the hands of teams that had bigger and stronger rosters. Coach Wall he hopes that will be motivation for the returning underclassmen next season.
“We tell the kids all the time ‘you win games in the off season, that’s when you win games.’ We have a great weight room now in the new high school, we are going to set up the program again,” he said. “Hopefully, the younger kids will file this loss away. Not to dwell on it, but to draw from it as motivation so this doesn’t happen again.”
Wall said the departing seniors will be missed , as he credited their play to turning around North Reading’s fortunes this year. The seniors are Nick Ponte, Joe Lennan, Nick Copelas, Sean Wilson, Andrew Jaroncyk, Angelo Disanto, Caleb Wing, Chris Vella, David Smith, Brian Cotter, Nic O’Connell, Shane Burke, Nick Colangelo, Jared Curran and Aaron Giangrande.
“They worked so hard, they played a huge role in establishing this program. We are no longer a team that everyone sees as a “W” on their schedules,” said Coach Wall. “It’s tough to see them walk off the field right now, I told them ‘don’t judge your whole playing existence on just one game’. This game doesn’t define them as a player or a person. When they look back, they should look back on everything they did the last four years because this was a special group, one of the most special groups we ever had.”
Congratulations to the North Reading football team on a great season and good luck to the seniors on their future endeavors.
