To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the only Pioneer team to make it to the Super Bowl, I am taking a week by week look back at the Super 1986 season.
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| LHS Football Wayback Machine |
There was consternation heading into the Pioneers' Cape Ann League opener following a lackluster non-league victory over Wayland to begin the season. Not only did the Pioneers have to open the league schedule against one of the preseason favorites, but they would have to travel to Newburyport to do it.
Lynnfield football followers have come to know War Memorial Stadium as the Pioneers' personal House of Horrors, and things weren't much better 25 years ago. Lynnfield had traveled to the "Home Port of the Clippers" seven times since the CAL had been formed in 1973, and the Pioneers had come away with only a pair of wins.
Making the task even tougher this night was the fact that the Pioneers would be playing without standout running back Todd Coviello. The senior co-captain hurt his knee against Wayland and was unavailable in this game.
Luckily the Pioneers had two co-captains.
Outstanding tackle Darrell Carty picked up the slack on defense to lead the Pioneers to victory. When the dust had settled, Carty had 13 solo tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. He led a tenacious Lynnfield defense that kept Newburyport out of the endzone until the last play of the game. For his efforts, Carty was named the Division 3 Defensive Star of the Week by the Boston Globe.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, a pair of juniors filled in admirably for the injured Coviello. Mark Sutera picked up 66 yards on 10 carries while Jason Mochi rushed 12 times for 51 yards.
The Pioneers banged on the door early, with a pair of first quarter scoring drives thwarted by interceptions on the four yard line and in the endzone. But Lynnfield broke through big time in the second period scoring three times to build a 19-0 halftime lead.
Dave Frontero got things started by recovering a fumble on the first play of the second period. On the next play, Frontero completed what he started by tossing a 48 yard touchdown pass to Mark Guido who glided into the endzone for the score. The PAT was blocked, but Lynnfield led 6-0.
A 22 yard punt return by Ron Grasso gave the Pioneers great field position at midfield on their next possesion. Nine plays and 49 yards later, Sutera finished the drive on a nine yard draw play. Frontero booted the extra point and the Pioneers led 13-0.
Head coach Bill Adams dipped into his bag of tricks late in the half when he called for a fake field goal on a fourth and goal from the nine. Backup quarterback and holder Steve Bucci took the snap, rolled to the left and drilled one to Mochi who slipped by a defender to get into the endzone. That gave Lynnfield a 19-0 lead at the break and it was clear the Clippers would not be coming back in this one.
The defense, led by Carty, Chris Loomos, Bill Aldenberg and David Aldenberg, kept the Clippers beached. They did punch in a score in the first, but the play was called back on a penalty and the Pioneers would not allow them back into the endzone. Newburyport got their lone TD on the final play of the game on a 16 yard pass.
The win lifted the Pioneers to 2-0 and into eighth place in the Globe's Division Three Super Bowl rankings, tied with Triton who knocked off 1985 co-champion North Andover 21-15. That set up a big early season showdown between the Pioneers and the Vikings in Lynnfield's home opener the following week.
Next: The Pioneers' home opener against tough Triton.
Lynnfield football followers have come to know War Memorial Stadium as the Pioneers' personal House of Horrors, and things weren't much better 25 years ago. Lynnfield had traveled to the "Home Port of the Clippers" seven times since the CAL had been formed in 1973, and the Pioneers had come away with only a pair of wins.
Making the task even tougher this night was the fact that the Pioneers would be playing without standout running back Todd Coviello. The senior co-captain hurt his knee against Wayland and was unavailable in this game.
Luckily the Pioneers had two co-captains.
Outstanding tackle Darrell Carty picked up the slack on defense to lead the Pioneers to victory. When the dust had settled, Carty had 13 solo tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. He led a tenacious Lynnfield defense that kept Newburyport out of the endzone until the last play of the game. For his efforts, Carty was named the Division 3 Defensive Star of the Week by the Boston Globe.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, a pair of juniors filled in admirably for the injured Coviello. Mark Sutera picked up 66 yards on 10 carries while Jason Mochi rushed 12 times for 51 yards.
The Pioneers banged on the door early, with a pair of first quarter scoring drives thwarted by interceptions on the four yard line and in the endzone. But Lynnfield broke through big time in the second period scoring three times to build a 19-0 halftime lead.
Dave Frontero got things started by recovering a fumble on the first play of the second period. On the next play, Frontero completed what he started by tossing a 48 yard touchdown pass to Mark Guido who glided into the endzone for the score. The PAT was blocked, but Lynnfield led 6-0.
A 22 yard punt return by Ron Grasso gave the Pioneers great field position at midfield on their next possesion. Nine plays and 49 yards later, Sutera finished the drive on a nine yard draw play. Frontero booted the extra point and the Pioneers led 13-0.
Head coach Bill Adams dipped into his bag of tricks late in the half when he called for a fake field goal on a fourth and goal from the nine. Backup quarterback and holder Steve Bucci took the snap, rolled to the left and drilled one to Mochi who slipped by a defender to get into the endzone. That gave Lynnfield a 19-0 lead at the break and it was clear the Clippers would not be coming back in this one.
The defense, led by Carty, Chris Loomos, Bill Aldenberg and David Aldenberg, kept the Clippers beached. They did punch in a score in the first, but the play was called back on a penalty and the Pioneers would not allow them back into the endzone. Newburyport got their lone TD on the final play of the game on a 16 yard pass.
The win lifted the Pioneers to 2-0 and into eighth place in the Globe's Division Three Super Bowl rankings, tied with Triton who knocked off 1985 co-champion North Andover 21-15. That set up a big early season showdown between the Pioneers and the Vikings in Lynnfield's home opener the following week.
Next: The Pioneers' home opener against tough Triton.
If you played on or were involved with the 1986 team and would like to share a memory, please pass it on to me at tcondardo@gmail.com
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