Published April 28, 2021
By JAMES CRANNEY
NORTH READING – There was no turkey waiting on the kitchen table, no fellow alumni could be spotted in the parking lot rehashing old memories and the stands stood half full with only masked parents present. Nothing was normal but somehow one thing remained constant. It was Lynnfield’s last game of the season, and they would be squaring off against who else but North Reading?
Having not beaten the Hornets since 2015, Lynnfield entered the 63rd meeting with their arch rival looking to finally end the four-game losing streak. In the end it wasn’t to be; North Reading’s steady defense kept Lynnfield’s explosive offense in check as the Hornets took a 12-6 victory.
It was a mild Friday night at Arthur J. Kenney Field, but very much a windy one. With gusts clocked between 15-20 mph, the wind would play a crucial role in the battle for field position.
When North Reading received the opening kickoff, their offense began going directly into the wind. Combating the conditions, the Hornets attacked Lynnfield’s defense with continuous runs and quick screen passes. After making a 3rd down stop at the North Reading 39 yard line, the Pioneers sent out their special teams unit.
On 4th and 3, Hornets head coach Ed Blum rolled the dice and called for a fake punt. Senior punter Robbie Tammaro scrambled right and was able to get enough for the North Reading first down. The Hornet offense returned and continued to move meticulously down the field. With every repeated run or shortened throw, North Reading not only moved the ball but took significant chunks of time while doing it – so much so that the Hornets would possess the ball for every second of the opening quarter.
With just under eight minutes to go in the 2nd quarter, North Reading was on the cusp of the Pioneers red zone. On 4th and 4 from Lynnfield’s 24 yard line, the Pioneer defense finally got off the field when NR senior quarterback Brian Heffernan’s pass fell incomplete.
For the first time in the game, the Lynnfield offense took the field with 7:50 remaining in the 2nd quarter. Having to now face the same wind as North Reading in the 1st quarter, the high-powered Pioneer offense would be unable to move the ball through the air. After three quick plays, Lynnfield punted the ball back to North Reading.
It was a battle of field position the remainder of the 2nd quarter as both teams punted to each other once more. However, the Pioneers second punt would have to go directly into the swirling winds. With barely 2 minutes left in the first half, Lynnfield’s punt from their own 20 yard line was not only be batted down by the wind but it took a Hornet back-spinning bounce and roll to the Pioneers’ 12 yard line.
“What a game in terms of field position,” stated Pioneers head coach Pat Lamusta. “You have one special teams play go awry, the next thing you know the momentum shifted and we were fighting to get out of that first half clean.”
After the mother nature induced gift, North Reading took full advantage. Two plays after the punt, senior running back Will O’Leary punched it in for a 1 yard touchdown. Following a bobbled snap on the extra point, the Hornets would take a 6-0 lead into halftime.
Lynnfield received the ball to start the second half and for the first time all night, had the wind at their back. After mustering only two first downs the entire first half, the Pioneers were finally able to find an offensive rhythm.
After moving the ball near midfield, Lynnfield faced a 3rd and 6. Senior quarterback Austin Sutera (10-15, 70 yards 1 touchdown) moved the chains after finding senior receiver James Considine (3 catches 25 yards) over the middle for a 12 yard gain. From the North Reading 34 yard line, Sutera looked Considine’s way again on 3rd down with another first down pass to the senior receiver.
On 3rd and 1 from the Hornets’ 16 yard line, Sutera fooled the North Reading defense with a well-executed play action pass to senior captain Bakari Mitchell (2 catches, 23 yards) for a gain of 7. Knocking at the door, the Pioneers tricked the defense with another play action pass, this time to sophomore tight end Sam Gazit (1 catch, 8 yards, 1 touchdown) for an 8 yard touchdown. A missed extra point would keep the game tied 6-6 going into the 4th quarter.
With only 8 minutes to go in the game, special teams would once again be a factor. The Pioneers punted into the wind where senior return man Robbie Tammaro caught the ball and turned it up the left sideline before being brought down at the Lynnfield 28 yard line. Following the 21-yard punt return, the Hornets faced 3rd and 10. With a chance to get North Reading off the field, the Pioneer defense needed to make a play.
Heffernan responded by hitting junior receiver Ryan McCullough on a screen pass which turned into a gain of 16 yards. The Hornets would call McCullough’s number again two plays later when the junior took a handoff up the middle for a 4 yard score. Another missed extra point made it a 6 point difference as North Reading took a 12-6 lead.
When Lynnfield got the ball back only 5 minutes remained in the season. With hopes of taking the lead, the Pioneers needed to go 80 yards into a pulverizing headwind. A quick screen pass to senior captain Jack Ford (3 catches, 7 yards) got things started, and a 10 yard run from senior captain DJ Capachietti (6 rushes, 17 yards) brought the Pioneers to their own 37 yard line.
With 2:46 left, Lynnfield faced 4th and 1 from their own 46 yard line. Trying to keep the drive alive, the Pioneers handed it off to junior Joseph LaFerla (3 rushes, 7 yards) on the critical play. It would not be enough as a swarm of Hornet defenders stopped the running back at the line of scrimmage.
North Reading successfully chewed up as much clock as possible and gave the ball back to the Pioneers with only .9 seconds left in the game. Needing 70 yards in one play, Lynnfield tried a hook and lateral down the field but inevitably came up short. For the fifth straight year, North Reading was victorious, beating the Pioneers 12-6.
“They competed,” said coach Lamusta of his team. “Our senior group helped get this program back on track and they fought until the last play.”
Though it was not the ending Lynnfield had hoped for, this group has more than enough to be proud of. In a season that was never supposed to be played, completing all seven scheduled games was a significant achievement. Countless teams across the state either missed multiple games or could not even finish their season due to locker room COVID-19 outbreaks. With zero positive tests throughout the season, the Pioneers showed great discipline off the field.
When it comes to the team’s body of work on the field, it is just as impressive. In addition to several individual records, the 5-2 Pioneers finished with an undefeated season at home and had the highest win percentage since the 2014 team.
Taking over after a 3-8 2018 campaign, this 2021 senior class was part of the foundation which turned the program back to prominence. Despite all the games won and records broken, perhaps nothing showed the true heart of this team more than the very last play.
“I can’t tell you how many close games I’ve seen where on the last play someone gives up and gets tackled, but our guys were out there trying to lateral the ball,” commented coach Lamusta. “That’s the character of this senior group, they were going to try and take it to the bitter end.”
