TYLER ADAMO led the Pioneers to a 45-20 victory over Dennis-Yarmouth on Friday night by throwing for an incredible 306 yards and 6 TD’s. (Kiera Mallett Photo)
By JAMES CRANNEY
LYNNFIELD — As the great John Facenda of NFL Films once eloquently stated, “Hopes that are high in the heat of September, can wilt and die in the chill of November.”
The regular season has come and gone for the Lynnfield Pioneer football program. With the calendar now turned to that final month of the season, the opponents only get tougher and the stakes even higher.
Finishing their 2024 regular season on a seven-game winning streak, Lynnfield entered the MIAA Division 6 playoffs with an immaculate 7-1 record.
Last Friday night, the 6th-seeded Pioneers began their quest for a state championship welcoming 11th seeded 6-2 Dennis-Yarmouth.
It was a windy night in Pioneer Stadium, but neither side was deterred from airing it out as both teams combined for 567 total passing yards. Lynnfield got up early and never looked back, advancing to the state quarterfinals with a 45-20 win.
LYNNFIELD made their last game at Pioneer Stadium a memorable one as they beat Dennis-Yarmouth 45-20. The No. 6 Pioneers will travel to No. 3 Fairhaven for a Div. 6 quarterfinal on Friday night. (Kiera Mallett Photo)
Next, No. 6 Lynnfield (8-1) will travel to No. 3 Fairhaven (8-1) on Friday night at 6 p.m. in hopes of advancing to the Final Four.
The Dolphins received the ball to start the game led by senior quarterback Jayden Barber. After getting the ball near midfield, Lynnfield’s defense applied pressure to Barber forcing errant passes on 2nd and 3rd down.
When the Pioneers got their first crack on offense, they swung for the fences.
On 1st and 10 from the Lynnfield 20-yard line, senior captain quarterback Tyler Adamo (16-19, 306 passing yards, 6 passing touchdowns) stepped up in the pocket and launched a bomb down the right sideline for senior Madux Iovinelli (7 catches, 136 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns). Iovinelli caught the ball in stride and galloped 80-yards down the field for the game’s first score. Massimo LoGrasso (3/6 PAT’s) booted the extra point, and the Pioneers had set the tone with an early 7-0 lead.
Dennis-Yarmouth’s offense was once again able to move the ball towards midfield on their second drive. However, once in Lynnfield territory, all of that would change.
Barber dropped back to pass on 3rd and 5, but had a blitzing Iain McCarthy breathing down his neck. The Dolphins quarterback released the ball quicker than intended and could only watch as it was snatched out of the air by Iovinelli.
“That interception was phenomenal,” said Pioneers head coach Pat Lamusta. “Madux is just a great kid, a great human being, and a great competitor. He’s a dynamic athlete so if the ball is in his orbit on offense or defense, there’s a good shot he’s coming down with it.”
After the senior linebacker returned the interception 38 yards, Lynnfield took over at the Dennis-Yarmouth 21-yard line. Two plays later, Iovinelli once again found the ball in his hands. Adamo slipped away from the oncoming Dolphins rush then found Iovinelli in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown pass.
MADUX IOVINELLI racked up 7 catches for 136 yards and 3 TD’s in Lynnfield’s first round victory over Dennis-Yarmouth. (Shlok Kudrimoti Photo)
The Pioneers now led 13-0 and were just getting started.
After a defensive 4th down stop in Dennis-Yarmouth territory, Adamo connected with fellow senior captain Jesse Dorman (5 catches, 136 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns) over the middle for a 15-yard score to make it 19-0 early in the 2nd quarter.
Lynnfield had a stranglehold on the momentum to this point and showed no signs of letting go. The Dolphins were able to create some chunk passing plays, but the tenacious Pioneer defense kept coming up with 4th down stops.
It was not until the final seconds of the first half, when Dennis-Yarmouth finally made a push.
Coming off Iovinelli’s third touchdown reception, giving Lynnfield a 25-0 lead, the Dolphins once again moved the ball through the air with big passing plays. Dennis-Yarmouth reached the Pioneer 38-yard line and only had 19 seconds remaining before halftime. Barber heaved a desperation pass towards the goalpost where receiver Walter Mayo came down with it.
Lynnfield took their 25-7 lead into the locker room, but the Dolphins had now clawed their way back into the game. Dennis-Yarmouth had a sliver of hope going into the second half, but the Pioneers never flinched.
On the second play of the 3rd quarter, Adamo unloaded another deep shot to Dorman who hauled it in for an 83-yard touchdown pass. Despite the Dolphin offense responding with an 80-yard touchdown pass of their own, Lynnfield’s offense continued to cruise.
The Pioneers put together two more scoring drives culminating in a 3-yard touchdown run from senior captain Jared Bernabei (12 carries, 90 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown) and a 6-yard touchdown pass from Adamo to Lucas Deraps (1 catch, 6 receiving yards, 1 touchdown). In the end, Lynnfield’s high-powered offense and stout defensive performance were simply too much for the Dolphins.
With the 45-20 win over Dennis-Yarmouth, the Pioneers’ September hopes are still very high in November.
Coach Lamusta and his team still have much left on their plate in terms of goals they want to accomplish. Given that this was the last game these seniors will ever play in Pioneer Stadium though, Lamusta certainly appreciates what his players have accomplished thus far.
“To play like that in front of a great crowd and go out with a bang at home, it’s special…all the offseason work these guys put in is paying dividends and they really represented the program and community well tonight.
“It was a win for the community and I’m proud of these seniors, but like I told them before the game, ‘We all determine when this story is officially over. Let’s just keep adding pages.’”
