MATTHEW BEAVER sacks Lynnfield QB Tyler Adamo while the Red Sea student section looks on Friday night at Landrigan Field. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield High football team fell to 0-2 on Friday night with a 34-13 loss to Lynnfield in the home-opener at Landrigan Field.
The Pioneers had 324 total yards of offense while their defense had three interceptions as the visitors took command early with a touchdown in the first two minutes and never looked back, leading 28-6 at halftime and cruising to their first win of the season.
Lynnfield’s senior quarterback Tyler Adamo threw for 171 yards and 4 TD’s while adding 49 yards on the ground. Adamo is the great-grandson of legendary Massachusetts high school football coach Bill Tighe, who started his coaching career in Wakefield where he was at the helm for four league titles from 1957-1963. It was only fitting that Adamo broke the LHS school record for career touchdown passes (40) in front of a packed house at Landrigan as he led his team to victory.
Of course, the game plan didn’t go as practiced for the home team. While the defense had a hard time containing Lynnfield’s high-powered attack, sophomore QB Westin McNeilly (19-for-26, 144 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INT) and the Warrior offense couldn’t find their rhythm early on.
A long return on the opening kick-off set up the Pioneers at the Wakefield 22-yard line which led to Adamo’s first TD pass, an 11-yard connection with Jesse Dorman.
The first quarter ended 7-0 as both defenses stepped up in each of the next two possessions, including Wakefield’s D which forced a punt on Lynnfield’s second drive thanks to a sack by senior captain Matthew Beaver on 2nd down.
Wakefield’s offense couldn’t capitalize, turning it over on downs at the Lynnfield 19 as the first frame came to an end.
The 2nd quarter was a little more hectic.
The Pioneers put up 21 unanswered points in the 2nd, leading to their runaway victory.
Their third drive went 81 yards, ending on Adamo’s 2nd TD pass of the night, a 40-yard slant to Madux Iovinelli across the middle of the field for a 14-0 lead with 9:47 left in the half.
Sophomore Jaden Fullerton’s first of multiple impressive returns in the kickoff game gave his team a spark as he brought it out to the Pioneer 36.
Seeking a quick response, the Warriors went to the air on 1st down but McNeilly was picked off by a safety while looking for Beaver up the seam. It was the first of what would be multiple backbreaking turnovers for Wakefield in this one.
The Warrior defense responded, forcing a three-and-out but the Pioneers returned the favor on Wakefield’s next drive, giving Lynnfield the ball back at midfield with 6:19 to go.
Senior Jackson Fitzpatrick had an impressive shoestring sack on Adamo to set Lynnfield back but the QB responded with a wild scramble and a 26-yard pass to move the chains. He tied the school record for TD passes with a 3-yard play-action pass to Jared Bernabei for a 21-0 advantage.
With 2:45 to go, the 2nd quarter was just getting started.
Wakefield worked it to midfield before McNeilly was intercepted by Iovinelli with 1:04 to play.
Adamo took it from there, writing his way into the history books with a 55-yard bomb down the left sideline to Dorman, making it 28-0.
Fullerton again refused to give up, bringing the kickoff into Lynnfield territory for the second time. McNeilly found junior William Forbes (4 catches, 51 yards) for a 32-yard gain and later linked up with junior captain Myles Sanchez (78 rushing yards, 22 receiving yards, 1TD) for an 8-yard TD on a well-executed screen. A missed point-after finally brought a combined, 27-point 2nd quarter to a close.
Wakefield moved the chains once on their opening drive of the second half but McNeilly’s 3rd interception came on 4th-and-6 with the Warriors pressing to get back into it.
Instead, the Pioneers brought their well-represented fan base at Landrigan to their feet once again, this time on the ground as Adamo scrambled for 37 yards to the Warrior 4 and Bernabei later powered in a 1-yard score to make it 34-6.
McNeilly and the Warriors ended on a positive note as he finished off a strong drive in the waning seconds of the game with a 12-yard TD pass to senior captain John Fitzgerald, resulting in the 34-13 final.
In the end, this night belonged to Adamo and the neighboring Pioneers.
Wakefield will look to bounce back this Friday night, 6 p.m. when they host Beverly (1-2) back at Landrigan Field.
