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New look working for North Reading

Saturday, October, 25 By Chris Helms
Staff writer

NORTH READING — We’ve always known Dino Rizzo was versatile, but the full extent of that versatility has only recently been on display.

Heading into yesterday’s game, Rizzo had amassed 282 rushing yards on 51 carries in six games. He’s also one of the most feared linebackers in CAL Small.

Now you can add quarterback to the list of positions he’s played in his high school career.

Filling in for injured starter John Brooks, Rizzo captained the Hornets’ 27-0 thrashing of Watertown, snapping their string of three-straight losses and keeping their playoff hopes alive.

“We knew we had to win this one, we had to get it done. The road to the playoffs starts today.” said Rizzo. “We dropped one to Hamilton-Wenham last week, so we had to get back on track. They’re not going to win the rest of their games, I’ll tell you that.”

Joining Rizzo (3-of-7 passing for 90 yards and two touchdowns, 13 carries for 57 yards) in the offensive onslaught was Darren Hartwell, typically the Hornets’ top wideout. Just as Rizzo has switched to the quarterback role, Hartwell has assumed Rizzo’s former role in the backfield.

“Darren’s a hell of a player. He probably should have caught a couple of those passes, though. He knew it, and I knew it,” Rizzo said half-jokingly.

The passes to which Rizzo referred were a pair of deep sideline routes. The running back-turned-quarterback led Hartwell just a bit too far on his first two attempts, but connected with him on the third for a 69-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

“We just looked at each other and decided we’d try it again if they kept double-covering him, which they did, and we finally caught them at the end. We knew we had it all game.”

Hartwell finished with three catches, 90 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns to go along with 67 yards on the ground and a rushing score.

The plan coming in was simple according to the new play-caller.

“We wanted to option the hell out of them,” Rizzo said. “They had no clue what was coming.”

Offensive lineman Ronald Rossi has helped make the transition a bit easier for Rizzo and Hartwell. Many of the team’s runs were to the left side, which unsurprisingly, is anchored by Rossi.

“He’s a big boy,” Rizzo said of his fellow quad-captain. “He gets it done, definitely. One of the best linemen I’ve ever played with.”

In fact, three of the Hornets’ first six offensive plays were option pitches to Hartwell. Even when Watertown loaded up to stop Hartwell, Rizzo would fake the toss and keep it himself.

Defensively, North Reading kept Watertown on lock down. The Hornets forced five three-and-outs, only allowing Watertown to pick up a first down in three series. Robert Rosano picked off Watertown’s C.J. Logan in the second quarter.