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Greater Lawrence Reggies Football '19

Diaz, Greater Lawrence win Voke Large Bowl title

WEST ANDOVER — Less than two weeks after a state semifinal defeat, and one week after an equally disappointing Thanksgiving Day loss, Greater Lawrence closed out its season Thursday night with a bowl game victory.
 
Returning to the helm after missing a game with a concussion, quarterback Shamil Diaz threw a touchdown pass on the Reggies’ first play from scrimmage and accounted for a couple more scores as Greater Lawrence beat Assabet Valley 36-26 in the State Vocational Large School Bowl. It was the Reggies’ second consecutive Vocational Bowl title.
 
“This means everything, winning back-to-back championships,” said Diaz, who threw for two scores and ran for a game-high 175 yards and another touchdown. “We’ve worked our butts off for the whole season until this point, and it’s paid off.”
 
After forcing a three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, Diaz returned a punt 34 yards to the Aztecs’ 34. With Assabet filling the box with 10 defenders, Diaz immediately went deep, hitting Chris Tineo down field for the quick lead.
 
“We knew we were coming out throwing,” Diaz said. “Usually, in most games, the other team thinks we’ll come out running right off the bat. So we came out passing on the first play and it worked.”
Assabet (9-4) quickly rallied through the air to take a 12-7 lead on a pair of Connor Shurling-to-Jacob Nelson scoring passes. But that would be the extent of the Aztecs offense until its final two possessions in the contest.
Facing a fourth-and-9 late in the second quarter, Diaz hit Franklyn Espinal for a 19-yard score and a 15-12 Reggies lead with 4:45 left until halftime. 
Espinal, who ran for 142 yards while subbing for the injured Diaz against Whittier on Thanksgiving, only had four carries against Assabet, but made them count with three first downs and 68 yards.
“It was amazing knowing we had a complete team,” Espinal said. “We know we’re going to dominate every game when we have Shamil, no matter if it’s a win or a loss. This win means everything.”
Espinal later set up Greater Lawrence at midfield, returning the second-half kickoff 31 yards, and seven plays later the Reggies grabbed a 22-12 lead on a 1-yard Maleek Dejesus run. After halting an Assabet drive at the Aztecs 43, a 50-yard Espinal gallop to the 1 led to a Diaz touchdown and a 16-point lead with 30 seconds left in the third.
“Last week, missing that game against Whittier was awful standing on the sideline not being able to help the team,” Diaz said.
In the fourth, a 29-yard Diaz run on fourth-and-5 extended a drive that Dejesus capped with a 5-yard run and a 36-12 lead with 6:50 remaining.
“Diaz, Espinal and Maleek Dejesus, the three seniors, they really turned it on,” said Reggie coach Tony Sarkis, whose squad finished with 285 yards rushing. “And the line just opened up holes doing what they needed to do. But throwing the ball early really threw them off a little. This is great for the seniors. They’ve worked hard all year, and we’re going to miss those guys.”
While Greater Lawrence was scoring 29 unanswered points, the Reggie defense stymied Assabet. After the early passing touchdowns, Shurling misfired on 11 of his next 13 passes which included an interception by senior Adrian Javier with 4:30 left. The Aztecs compiled 121 of their 287 total yards after falling behind by 24 points.
“The defense really stepped up,” Sarkis said. “Coach Chris Fusco put a good game plan in place and the kids executed it almost perfectly. They came out physical to play (Assabet). That was real good Reggie football there.”
The strong season finish should provide the Reggies motivation for the future.
 “We have five seniors who were starters for us and 16 on the roster, and we’re going to miss those guys” said Sarkis. “But I think the underclassmen will be huge if they stick together and work hard in the off season.
“The (back-to-back 13-game seasons) teaches them that you have to be rugged coming through the season. It’s not how we start, it’s how we finish. And that’s huge for these guys who have seen it for two years in a row.”
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Football, 12/05/19 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars

Diaz, Greater Lawrence win Voke Large Bowl title

WEST ANDOVER — Less than two weeks after a state semifinal defeat, and one week after an equally disappointing Thanksgiving Day loss, Greater Lawrence closed out its season Thursday night with a bowl game victory.
 
Returning to the helm after missing a game with a concussion, quarterback Shamil Diaz threw a touchdown pass on the Reggies’ first play from scrimmage and accounted for a couple more scores as Greater Lawrence beat Assabet Valley 36-26 in the State Vocational Large School Bowl. It was the Reggies’ second consecutive Vocational Bowl title.
 
“This means everything, winning back-to-back championships,” said Diaz, who threw for two scores and ran for a game-high 175 yards and another touchdown. “We’ve worked our butts off for the whole season until this point, and it’s paid off.”
 
After forcing a three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, Diaz returned a punt 34 yards to the Aztecs’ 34. With Assabet filling the box with 10 defenders, Diaz immediately went deep, hitting Chris Tineo down field for the quick lead.
 
“We knew we were coming out throwing,” Diaz said. “Usually, in most games, the other team thinks we’ll come out running right off the bat. So we came out passing on the first play and it worked.”
Assabet (9-4) quickly rallied through the air to take a 12-7 lead on a pair of Connor Shurling-to-Jacob Nelson scoring passes. But that would be the extent of the Aztecs offense until its final two possessions in the contest.
Facing a fourth-and-9 late in the second quarter, Diaz hit Franklyn Espinal for a 19-yard score and a 15-12 Reggies lead with 4:45 left until halftime. 
Espinal, who ran for 142 yards while subbing for the injured Diaz against Whittier on Thanksgiving, only had four carries against Assabet, but made them count with three first downs and 68 yards.
“It was amazing knowing we had a complete team,” Espinal said. “We know we’re going to dominate every game when we have Shamil, no matter if it’s a win or a loss. This win means everything.”
Espinal later set up Greater Lawrence at midfield, returning the second-half kickoff 31 yards, and seven plays later the Reggies grabbed a 22-12 lead on a 1-yard Maleek Dejesus run. After halting an Assabet drive at the Aztecs 43, a 50-yard Espinal gallop to the 1 led to a Diaz touchdown and a 16-point lead with 30 seconds left in the third.
“Last week, missing that game against Whittier was awful standing on the sideline not being able to help the team,” Diaz said.
In the fourth, a 29-yard Diaz run on fourth-and-5 extended a drive that Dejesus capped with a 5-yard run and a 36-12 lead with 6:50 remaining.
“Diaz, Espinal and Maleek Dejesus, the three seniors, they really turned it on,” said Reggie coach Tony Sarkis, whose squad finished with 285 yards rushing. “And the line just opened up holes doing what they needed to do. But throwing the ball early really threw them off a little. This is great for the seniors. They’ve worked hard all year, and we’re going to miss those guys.”
While Greater Lawrence was scoring 29 unanswered points, the Reggie defense stymied Assabet. After the early passing touchdowns, Shurling misfired on 11 of his next 13 passes which included an interception by senior Adrian Javier with 4:30 left. The Aztecs compiled 121 of their 287 total yards after falling behind by 24 points.
“The defense really stepped up,” Sarkis said. “Coach Chris Fusco put a good game plan in place and the kids executed it almost perfectly. They came out physical to play (Assabet). That was real good Reggie football there.”
The strong season finish should provide the Reggies motivation for the future.
 “We have five seniors who were starters for us and 16 on the roster, and we’re going to miss those guys” said Sarkis. “But I think the underclassmen will be huge if they stick together and work hard in the off season.
“The (back-to-back 13-game seasons) teaches them that you have to be rugged coming through the season. It’s not how we start, it’s how we finish. And that’s huge for these guys who have seen it for two years in a row.”
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Football, 12/05/19 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars

Whittier knocks off Greater Lawrence

HAVERHILL – The Whittier football team has been unable to fully enjoy Thanksgiving dinner in five years.

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Football, 11/27/19 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars

Diaz steals show as Reggies hammer No. 1 Manchester Essex in North final

MANCHESTER — Manchester Essex head football coach Jeff Hutton could only tip his cap to Greater Lawrence after Friday’s Division 7 North Final.

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Football, 11/15/19 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars

Reggies intercept Lowell Catholic

 

WEST ANDOVER — Appropriately, Greater Lawrence junior Alvin Torres intercepted a pass to end the game Saturday afternoon.

It was the Reggies' fifth interception of the day and capped a 32-15 victory over Lowell Catholic in the Division 7 North semifinals. It was the previous interceptions that keyed Greater Lawrence's sixth win of the year and sends it into next week's finals.

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Football, 11/09/19 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars

Greater Lawrence advances

ANDOVER – Given a chance at redemption for the final-minute upset suffered last year as a No. 1 seed in the Division 7 North semifinals, Greater Lawrence took full advantage of the opportunity Saturday afternoon.

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Football, 11/02/19 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars

Espinal, Reggies hammer Nashoba Tech

WESTFORD — Franklyn Espinal scored on a 61-yard fumble return and a 25-yard run and intercepted a pass and Greater Lawrence pounded Nashoba Tech 43-0. It was 30-0 at the half and Tiago Hernandez returned the second-half kickoff 86 yards for a score. The Reggies' ground game was brilliant with 25 carries for 337 yards for a gaudy 13.5 yards a carry. Defensive tackle Juan Taveras had two sacks as the Reggies improved to 4-3. After a bye week, the Reggies will play their Division 7 North playoff opener against an opponent to be determined.

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Football, 10/18/19 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars

Turnovers doom Greater Lawrence

ANDOVER – Looking to remain relevant in the Commonwealth Conference Saturday morning against Greater Lowell, Greater Lawrence instead made things too easy in the opening half for the visiting Gryphons.

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Football, 10/12/19 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars

Greater Lawrence drops heartbreaker

BILLERICA — Trailing by six points with four minutes left in the game, Greater Lawrence forced a defensive stop, then drove to the Shawsheen 20-yard line as the clock ticked down.
 
With just seconds to go, the Reggies threw a Hail Mary that nearly fell into the hands of a receiver before — after a lengthly battle — it was pulled away for an interception. Shawsheen knelt once to defeat the Reggies 16-10.
 
“It was a heartbreaker,” said Reggies head coach Tony Sarkis. “It was a back-and-fourth game and our kids didn’t quit. That last pass was a fade into the end zone and our guy fought for the ball. But their guy was just able to come down with it.”
 
Behind 7-0 early, Greater Lawrence tied the game before halftime when QB Shamil Diaz took a keeper 70 yards for a touchdown. 
Trailing 16-7 early in the fourth quarter, Reggies kicker Kevin Matul cut into the deficit when he boomed a 35-yard field goal.
“That was a terrific kick,” said Sarkis. “He made it with room to spare. That kick put us back into the game and gave us a chance to win.”
The Greater Lawrence defense — led by Franklyn Espinal — managed a final stop. But the Reggies fell just short.
“Shawsheen did enough to win in the end,” said Sarkis. “But our kids played so hard. Christopher Tineo made some great catches. Shamil was great. But we made a few too many mistakes. We’ll see what we’re made of coming back from a loss.”
Greater Lawrence (2-2) will next travel to Essex Tech on Friday (7 p.m.)

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Football, 09/28/19 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars

Reggies fall to North Reading

 

WEST ANDOVER — Greater Lawrence never quite solved North Reading's most successful offensive play Friday afternoon.

That failure and an 88-yard kickoff return spelled defeat for the Reggies, who dropped to 1-1 on the season after a 35-20 loss to the Hornets.

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Football, 09/13/19 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
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