Around the CAL/NEC 4: Week 9

Time is running out for the Pioneers with only two games left in the league season. Let's take a look at the other two league games. First the updated standings.



The Pioneers' postseason hopes took a serious hit on Saturday when Hamilton-Wenham and quarterback Trevor Lyons sped past North Reading 28-12. The General juggernaut continues to roll on at 8-0 one of only 16 undefeated teams in Eastern Mass.

More importantly, they are 3-0 in the league having already beaten the Pioneers and the Hornets, two of their three closest rivals. They can clinch the title this week with a North Reading win over Ipswich on Friday and a victory over Georgetown on Saturday.

The Pioneers needed the Hornets to halt the Generals, but it was not to be.

Things started out well for the Hornets who forced the Generals into a three and out on their first possession then took a 6-0 lead on Ryan Sanborn's 41 yard romp. As an aside, if the name Sanborn sounds familiar to long time followers of Lynnfield football it should. He is the son of Mark Sanborn, who scored 10 touchdowns for the Pioneers over the 1981 and 1982 seasons.

The Generals answered with a long drive that ended with an 11 yard Lyons TD run. The PAT by Paul Kim gave H-W a 7-6 lead and they would never trail again.

Another long General drive in the second quarter capped by a one yard touchdown by Lyons made it 14-6 at the half. The Hornets got the ball to open the second half with a chance to tie the score but they couldn't move against the solid H-W defense and went three and out.

The Generals then broke it open with Lyons again doing the honors, this time with a 76 yard sweep to make it 21-6. The Hornets cut it to 21-12 on a halfback option pass from Carl Lipani to C. J. McCarthy.

But Lyons struck for his fourth TD of the day on another sweep, this one from 61 yards to nail down the important win 28-12.

The Hornets travel to Ipswich this week while the Generals will host Georgetown.

So the Pioneers' slim chance of a title and postseason playoff berth rests with Ipswich.

The Tigers have come alive since the league season started. After going 1-4 in non league play, Ipswich gave the Pioneers all it could handle in a 13-6 loss. The Tigers followed that with a 26-6 win over Georgetown and last week, romped over Manchester Essex 39-20.

Ipswich coach Ted Flaherty told Matt Burke of the Gloucester Times that his team really loved playing on the Fieldturf at M-E's new Hyland Field. That makes sense since the tricky Delaware Wing T relies on quick cuts, inside handoffs and shifty ball handling.

The Tigers took advantage of the solid footing to build a 26-0 halftime lead over the Hornets with running backs Derek Chamberlain and Peter Moutevelais each scoring a pair of TD's in the first two quarters.

The Hornets tried to answer back, cutting the Tiger lead to 26-13 in the third quarter thanks to a pair of scoring drives engineered by quarterback Cory Burnham. The QB, who ran for 101 yards on the day, capped the first one and Chris Dumont went in on the second, both on one yard runs.

Ipswich pulled away again in the fourth on Chamberlain's third TD. Dumont answered with a three yard run to pull to 33-20 but the Tigers ended the suspense with Moutevelis' third touchdown of the night to account for the final score.

The Tigers are now 2-1, tied with the Pioneers and Hornets. If they can beat North Reading this Friday, they could be playing for the title on Thanksgiving Day. M-E comes calling to the Middle School Field on Saturday looking for their first league win.

That's it for now. Check back Wednesday night for one of the most historic games in Lynnfield High history when I continue with my series on the Super Pioneers of 1986.