RallyNorth.net

Lynnfield Pioneers Football '11

Thu, Nov 24, 2011 10:30 AM @ North Reading
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Lynnfield 12 0 6 0 18
North Reading 0 16 0 21 37

Hornets rough up Lynnfield

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Thursday, November, 24 By Mike McMahon
Staff writer

NORTH READING — North Reading head coach Jeff Wall didn’t want to break up his team’s postgame huddle.
“As soon as I break it up, you know it’s over,” he said.

Yesterday’s 37-18 victory for the Hornets, which capped a 7-3 season, was a perfect time for reflection for Wall.

Last season, North Reading went 1-9 and didn’t win a game at home. This season, the Hornets went undefeated at home.

“I remember back to just wanting to get that first one out of the way,” he said. “Then you don’t want to lose at home ever again. So we made it our mission, this was their field, and now these guys can drive by this field and always remember this season. It took a lot of commitment from everyone, especially our seniors.”

Wall asked his senior class to sacrifice their final season to a rebuilding project, in which the Hornets installed a single wing offense and multiple seniors were asked to change positions.

The Hornets quickly perfected the single wing and the wins piled up.

“It makes you tougher,” Wall said. “You have to be patient and be OK with three or four yards per play. We don’t have to score on every snap.”

Kyle Boucher, last year’s quarterback, switched to tight end and Jackson Kellogg, a linebacker, took over behind center.

In the single wing, a quarterback isn’t relied on to throw, he’s relied on to clear the way for leading rusher Carl Lipani, who is the best rusher North Reading has seen in at least 25 years.

The Hornets fell behind 12-0 in the first four minutes. That’s when the Hornets started chipping away.
“They could have packed it in but we didn’t,” Wall said. “They kept that fire.”

After a Pioneer punt, Lipani broke off a 44 yard scamper to the 1-yard line and busted up the gut on the very next play.

Sophomore C.J. McCarthy started the next drive with a 39-yard run off a flying edge block by Kellogg.

After a goal line stand, Lynnfield quarterback Daniel Sullivan (who took over for an injured Michael Karavestos) was sacked in the end zone by John Fortes.

Lipani rushed for three more scores and McCarthy added a touchdown in the fourth quarter, picking off Sullivan on the 12-yard line and sprinted in untouched, to ice the game.

It was North Reading’s first Thanksgiving Day win since 2007.

Game Statistics:

First Quarter

L — Michael Karavetsos 32 run (kick failed), 10:39

L — Anthony Costa 5 pass from Karavestos (run failed), 7:30

Second Quarter

NR — Carl Lipani 1 run (Eric Valenti kick), 7:09

NR — Safety after John Fortes sacks Daniel Sullivan, 1:41

NR — Lipani 4 run (Valenti kick), 0:04

Third Quarter

L — Aleander Pascucci 80 pass from Daniel Sullivan (kick failed), 7:28

Fourth Quarter

NR — Lipani 8 run (Lipani rush), 9:22

NR — CJ McCarthy 12 interception return (rush failed), 8:32

NR — Lipani 5 run (Valenti kick), 4:47

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING: NR — Carl Lipani 38-249, CJ McCarthy 12-103, Jackson Kellogg 2-12, Philip Bishop 1-2; L — Michael Karavestos 5-45, Kyle McGah 10-23, Matthew Kramrich 2-11, Tyler Palumbo 1-1, Daniel Sullivan 2-(-12).

PASSING: NR — Carl Lipani 1-1-0, 12, Jackson Kellogg 0-1-0, 0; L — Michael Karavestos 3-5-0, 21, Daniel Sullivan 1-2-0, 80, Kyle McGagh 1-1-0, 0.

RECEIVING: NR — CJ McCarthy 1-12; L — Alexander Pascucci 2-92, Anthony Costa 1-5, Daniel Ashwell 1-4, Matthew Kramrich 1-0

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