Update post publication:
Lynnfield defeats Hamilton-Wenham 49-13 (Oct. 28)
Lynnfield earns #5 seed in the MIAA Division 6 State Tournament and will host Swampscott Friday (11/3) at 6:30 p.m.
By JAMES CRANNEY
LYNNFIELD – It was the final home game of the regular season last Friday night as Lynnfield welcomed the 2-3 Red Rocketeers from North Attleboro. Sitting at 6-0 for the first time since 2017, the Pioneers hoped to keep things rolling in their first ever meeting against Big Red. Unfortunately for the home team, a physical and much bigger North Attleboro team would end their undefeated season leaving rain-soaked Pioneer Stadium with a 14-11 victory.
North Attleboro got the ball to begin the game after Lynnfield elected to defer so they could get the ball to start the second half. The Red Rocketeers attacked the opposing defense with a no huddle rushing attack. Despite the quick tempo, North Attleboro took a considerable amount of time as they meticulously marched down the field.
Averaging 6.9 yards per carry on the opening drive, junior Ryan Banon and sophomore Athanasios Georgilas received the majority of the handoffs. After erasing nearly 6 minutes from the clock, junior quarterback Chase Frisoli capped the drive off with a 2-yard sneak to give Big Red a 7-0 lead.
The Pioneer offense was unable to get a drive going and punted the ball right back to North Attleboro. Like they had done the previous drive, the Red Rocketeers moved the ball into Lynnfield territory with continuous runs from Banon and Georgilas. With under 8 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter, it looked like the visitors were going to score another and blow the game open.
This time though, Lynnfield’s defense would not break.
On 4th and 2 from the Pioneer 9-yard line, North Attleboro tried to keep the drive alive handing it off again to Georgilas. When the sophomore running back reached the line of scrimmage, he was met by a sea of blue jerseys, which sent him to the turf.
“A great defensive stop,” commented Pioneers head coach Pat Lamusta on the 4th down stand. “Our guys have had a few of those this year, so to do it against a big, physical North Attleboro team says something about what we’re trying to do and showed a lot of heart.”
Lynnfield took over in the shadow of their end zone, but a 41-yard pass from junior quarterback Tyler Adamo (16-23, 215 yards, 1 touchdown) to sophomore receiver Zahir Mitchell (3 catches, 59 yards) moved the Pioneers to midfield. A screen pass to senior receiver Ethan Francis (4 catches, 63 yards, 1 touchdown) resulted in a gain of 22-yards and brought Lynnfield inside the Red Rocketeers’ 10-yard line.
That was as far as the Pioneers would go though. Two critical penalties forced Lynnfield to settle for a field goal as junior kicker Massimo Lograsso (1/1 field goals) split the uprights on a 27-yarder making it 7-3. On the final play of the 2nd quarter, the Pioneer defense held North Attleboro on a Hail Mary pass keeping the deficit to only 4 points. Since Lynnfield deferred at the beginning of the game, the Pioneers got the ball first to start the 3rd quarter.
Or so they thought.
The Red Rocketeers surprised Lynnfield with a perfectly executed onside kick to begin the second half. The ball made contact with a Pioneer on the front line before bouncing back right into the arms of a North Attleboro special teamer.
“That was a tough momentum hit for us,” stated coach Lamusta. “They made a great play on that. When the ball comes in fast like that we usually tell the guys to let it through so that second line can get it, but he landed it perfectly where it hit our guy’s foot and ricocheted right back.”
With momentum on their side, Big Red pounded the ball with eight consecutive runs culminating in a 2-yard rushing touchdown from Ryan Banon. The score was 14-3 for most of the second half until Lynnfield got their first touchdown with 4:23 left in the 4th quarter. After getting the ball to the North Attleboro 23-yard line, Adamo hit Francis over the top for the score. In an attempt to make it a three-point game, the Pioneers successfully converted the 2-point try as Adamo scrambled to his right and dove over the pylon making it 14-11.
Lynnfield tried to steal one more possession with an onside kick, but could not replicate what the Red Rocketeers pulled off earlier. North Attleboro picked up two first downs and ran the clock out ending the Pioneers’ perfect season.
“I thought we played well enough to win it,” commented coach Lamusta after the game. “We just needed a couple more plays.”
While the 14-11 loss stings, Lynnfield still has so much ahead of them to play for.
Next Saturday, the Pioneers will travel to 0-8 Hamilton-Wenham for the regular season finale. With a win in the final game, Lynnfield will have a chance to improve themselves in the power rankings for the playoffs and get them one step closer to bringing home the CAL Baker Championship.
Lynnfield was ranked No. 7 in the MIAA’s latest Div. 6 power rankings.
Coach Lamusta knows his team may have lost the battle on Friday night, but the war is certainly far from over.
“Every point matters with how the power rankings work, you can’t slip up or get lackadaisical…we have a lot to get excited for, we’re competing for that CAL title.”