Post publication update:
Lynnfield defeats Hamilton-Wenham 35-14 (Oct. 31)
Published October 29, 2025
Gridmen fall to Manchester-Essex 41-19
By JAMES CRANNEY
LYNNFIELD – It has been tough sledding for 1-5 Lynnfield this season. The Pioneers have lost a host of key players due to injury, and it has proven costly. Having dropped the past three consecutive game by double digits, Lynnfield was desperately in need of a win last Friday night to keep any postseason hopes alive.
That would be a tall order for the ailing Pioneers, as they welcomed a red hot 5-1 Manchester-Essex team to Pioneer Stadium on Senior Night. Lynnfield delivered a high-spirited performance, but the Hornets were just too much to handle in the end. Manchester-Essex spoiled the Pioneers Senior Night by pulling away with a 41-19 victory.
A common theme during this stretch of Lynnfield losses has been falling into early deficits, and not being able to climb out of the hole. On this brisk fall night, the trend continued once more.
The Hornets jumped out to a 12-0 lead following back-to-back touchdown passes from senior Zach Hurd to Felix Wood. After another Pioneers three-and-out early in the 2nd quarter, Manchester-Essex’s offense once again had a drive going into Lynnfield territory.
On their heels, the Pioneer defense needed a spark to turn the tide. Following an illegal blindside block, Manchester-Essex was backed into their own territory and had lit a fire underneath Lynnfield. On the next play, junior defensive back Devon Neenan came screaming through the line before throwing the Hornet quarterback to the turf.
“There were spurts where our defense was playing with some tenacity,” commented Pioneers head coach Pat Lamusta after the game. “We didn’t want to give him [Hurd] a lot of time. We saw some great blitzing from guys like Devon Neenan, Lucas Deraps, Jack Tranfaglia and others.”
Following a terrific open field tackle by junior defensive back Joel Attubato, Lynnfield got the ball back at their own 29-yard line with 8:31 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
It took four plays for the Pioneers to cross the 50-yard line when senior captain Matt Tracy connected on a pass to fellow captain Luke DiSilvio. After catching the ball around the Lynnfield 45-yard line, the senior receiver lowered his shoulder and carried a pile of Hornets defenders for another 10-yards.
Two plays later, junior running back Deraps took a handoff up the middle and shot through the Manchester-Essex defense for a 33-yard score. Freshman kicker Mason Fusco’s (1/2 PAT’s) extra point hit the uprights, but Lynnfield was back in the game trailing 12-6.
Manchester-Essex would quickly respond. After a 50-yard kick return, the Hornets were set up at the Pioneers 40-yard line. In just five plays, Manchester-Essex was back in the end zone following a 6-yard rushing score from Conrad Garfield.
Just before halftime, the Hornets had a chance to extend their 20-6 lead. Manchester Essex’s offense had driven the ball into the red zone with under a minute left in the 2nd quarter. With 18 seconds on the clock, junior defensive back Chase Buoniconti stepped in front of a Zach Hurd pass to keep Lynnfield’s deficit at only 14.
In the second half, the Pioneers once again got within one possession of the lead.
Sophomore quarterback Spencer Brown (6-12, 67 passing yards) kicked Lynnfield’s second drive of the half into gear with a 21-yard completion to DiSilvio. At the Pioneer 35-yard line, Brown handed it off up the middle to Buoniconti (5 carries, 63 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown). The junior tailback hit the hole hard before cutting back to his right and taking off down the right sideline for a 65-yard touchdown run.
Trailing 20-13 after Fusco’s extra point, the Pioneers were right back in the game.
That was the last time the Hornets would let Lynnfield hang around though. Manchester-Essex scored touchdowns on three of their final four possessions handing the Pioneers their fourth consecutive loss, 41-19.
“It’s tough,” stated Lamusta on Lynnfield’s sixth loss of the season. “It’s disappointing because we were still kind of in the running, it just would have been nice to pull this one off.”
With playoffs now out of the picture, it is easy for the Pioneers to be disappointed. Lamusta knows there is still one regular season game left on the schedule, and all Lynnfield can control now is their effort.
Next Friday night, Lynnfield travels to Hamilton-Wenham for an unprecedented Halloween night game at the new Generals stadium.
“We just have to find a way to get the kids motivated for these next few weeks,” said Lamusta. “We have to keep competing.”