Pioneers shut out North Reading 34-0 in 64th Thanksgiving game

THE PIONEERS celebrate their 34-0 victory over North Reading in the 64^th Thanksgiving game. Lynnfield has now won two Turkey Day classics in a row. (Courtesy Photo)

By JAMES CRANNEY

LYNNFIELD – In 2018, on a bitterly cold and windy Thanksgiving morning, Pat Lamusta stood on the sidelines for his first meeting with North Reading as the Pioneers’ head coach. Perhaps the only thing icier than the turf that day was Lynnfield’s performance, as the Hornets cruised to a 32-0 shutout.

Five years later, on the very same field, a much different story would be told.

Last Thursday, for the 64^th time, 5-4 North Reading squared off against 8-2 Lynnfield for the all-important Thanksgiving showdown. Similar to coach Lamusta’s first Thanksgiving game at the helm, it would be another shutout. This time though, Lamusta’s team were the ones delivering the punishment as Lynnfield took down the Hornets 34-0 for their second straight Turkey Day victory.

It was a sluggish start for both teams as the opening quarter turned out to be a battle for field position. After 15-minutes of field flipping, the game saw its first big play early in the 2^nd quarter.

In the shadow of their own endzone, the Pioneers faced 1^st and 20 at the 8-yard line.  Junior quarterback Tyler Adamo (7-13, 96 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown, 118 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown) dropped back and scrambled in the backfield trying to find an open receiver. The quarterback rolled right, then darted towards the left sideline. It appeared as if Adamo would go out of bounds, but then turned on another gear as he flew up the left sideline for a 92-yard touchdown.

“He just seemed bottled up, but I’ve been proven wrong so many times this year when I thought that,” said Lamusta on the game’s first touchdown. “He just finds a seam and he can make people miss…and you got to see some breakaway speed from him.”

THE LHS defense was swarming in their 34-0 shutout over North Reading on Thanksgiving. Pictured pressuring NR QB Jason Berry is Quinn Hardisty (62), Devin O’Connor (75) and Anthony Morales (54).

Lynnfield led 7-0 and got the ball back at their own 43-yard line with 1:52 remaining in the 2^nd quarter. Most of the Pioneers’ offensive success to this point was produced in the run game by Jared Bernabei (11 carries, 108 yards) who averaged 9.8 yards per carry.

This time, a pass got things going when Adamo found sophomore receiver Zahir Mitchell (2 catches, 34 yards) over the middle for a gain of 34-yards. Adamo then connected with junior receiver Madux Iovinelli (2 catches, 26 yards) before he was finally brought down at the Hornets 3-yard line. On 1^st and goal with 44 seconds left before halftime, Adamo handed it off to senior running back Niccolo Antidormi (3 carries, 8 yards, 1 touchdown) who followed his blockers into the endzone to make it 14-0.

North Reading had one last chance to put points on the board before halftime, but the Pioneer defense had other intentions. With the help of senior captain Quinn Hardisty, who collected two sacks on the drive, Lynnfield’s defense was able to keep the Hornets off the scoreboard as North Reading’s 44-yard field goal attempt came up short.

The Hornets got the ball to start the second half and were given another chance to get back into the game. The door was slightly open but the Pioneer defense was there to slam it tight.

In the second half, North Reading could only pick up one first down and was denied on four fourth down attempts. It all started on the Hornets first possession of the 3^rd quarter where once again, Hardisty would wreak havoc getting his third sack of the game.

“He’s just been so tremendous all year long from the nose position being such a disruptor,” commented coach Lamusta on the senior captain’s performance. “In pretty much every game, the other team had to adjust for Quinn.”

JUNIOR QB Tyler Adamo rushed for 118 yards and a TD while also adding 96 passing yards and a TD through the air in Lynnfield’s win on Thanksgiving. (Courtesy Photo)

Following another defensive stand, Lynnfield’s offense returned to the field before marching 55-yards in six plays. On 2^nd and 7 from the North Reading, 26-yard line, Adamo rolled to his left then hit junior Jesse Dorman (1 catch 26 yards, 1 touchdown) over the middle, who took it for a 26-yard touchdown making it a 21-0 game.

The Hornets were helpless as Lynnfield kept their foot firmly on the gas.

Perhaps no play encapsulated the Pioneers’ season more than senior running back Arthur Chiaradonna’s 25-yard rushing touchdown. With just over 6 minutes left in the 4^th quarter, Chiaradonna received a handoff on 2^nd and 1. The senior was met by a defender in the backfield and with the game in hand, could have easily gone down.

Chiaradonna refused to do that as he stayed on his feet and broke two more tackles before barreling his way over the goal line 25-yards later.

The cherry on top came with a pitch pass from senior quarterback David Tracy to junior Spencer D’Augusta who ran it in as time expired making it a 34-0 Thanksgiving shutout.

“Winning on Thanksgiving is such a valuable thing,” stated a Gatorade-soaked Lamusta after the game. “It’s special for the players, the program and the community.”

Coming a long way since that 32-0 loss in 2018, coach Lamusta has now won two in a row against arch nemesis North Reading. As happy as the coach was about going into the offseason with a win, he was especially proud that the Pioneers sent the seniors off right.

“We’re going to miss this senior class. Like I said to the team earlier, winning on Thanksgiving is the ultimate gift we can give them.”