To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first Pioneer team to play in the Cape Ann League, I am taking a week by week look back at the 1973 season.
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Wayback Wednesday: The 1973
CAL Champion Pioneers |
September 26, 1973 - Another opening, another show.
The Pioneers wasted no time proving that their impressive performance in the CAL jamboree was not a fluke as they routed the Trition Vikings 27-12 in their first official Cape Ann League game.
The home crowd at Pioneer Field at the Middle School watched as quarterback Steve Olsen and his Pioneer teammates dissected the Vikings to the tune of 312 total yards, 173 on the ground and 139 in the air.
It was the first meeting ever between Lynnfield and Triton Regional High School, which had just opened its doors two years earlier.
As they did in the jamboree, the Pioneers displayed a ball hawking defense that led to turnovers and then turned them into points.
On the Vikings' first possession, the Pioneers forced a fumble and tackle Mark Stone recovered it on the Triton 34 yard line. Running back Brian Rea cashed in on the miscue with an 18 yard run around left end. Rea rolled for 97 yards on 26 carries according to the account by Geof Simons of the Villager. He needed to pick up the void left when Steve Celata was unable to play due to a leg injury. Alan Harrington added the extra point and the Pioneers had an early 7-0 lead.
Special teams set up the second Pioneer score when Dave DiFillipo and Craig Franklin blocked a Viking punt at the 13 yard line according to Steve Farrar of the Wakefield Item. Quarterback Olsen went to work quickly, passing to Larry Mitkus for the score. It would be the first of three TD passes from Olsen. The PAT was not good but the Pioneers led 13-0.
Triton sliced into the lead late in the opening quarter when Viking lineman Henry Gerard picked off an Olsen pass and returned it 30 yards for the score. The point after was no good so at the end of the first quarter, the Pioneers led 13-6.
The Pioneers got that one back in the second quarter and again it was the defense that set the stage. Stone recovered another Viking fumble at midfield. The running of Rea and Steve Olsen resulted in a 53 yard scoring drive capped off by a TD pass from Steve Olsen to Lindsey Ross.
The Pioneers picked up the conversion on a circus play.
As described by Simons, "a bad snap caused the ball to bounce loose. Harrington picked it up and lofted it into the endzone. The ball bounced off a Triton defender's helmet and into the arms of Larry Mitkus who stepped in for the two points."
That gave the Pioneers a 21-6 halftime lead.
Lynnfield put it away in the third on a Steve Olsen to Bob Olsen 52 yard bomb. The point after was wide but the Pioneers still led 27-6 and was dominating the game.
Head coach Bill Rodan brought in the second team for the fourth quarter and they battled the Viking varsity to a scoreless tie until the final play of the game when Triton scored on a one yard pass.
When all was said and done, the Pioneers had their first ever CAL win by a 27-12 count.
Steve Olsen finished the day 6 for 11 for 104 yards and three touchdowns leading a potent offensive attack.
The defense was just as effective, holding the Vikes to a pair of first downs, forcing two fumbles and six punts and allowing Triton only 60 yards of offense.
With their first win under their belts, the Pioneers prepared to head on the road for their first ever CAL road game at tough Ipswich. Lynnfield had played the Tigers four times from 1965 to 1968 and lost each time. The games were all tight as Ipswich's margin of victory averaged 4.2 points.
The Pioneers were hoping to have Celata back for the game which they expected to help bolster the offense.
Despite the Pioneers easy win, the Lynnfield coaches were not entirely happy with the Lynnfield offense which sputtered against Triton when trying to put together long drives.
Defensive coach Fred Huntress told Farrar that he thought the "Pioneer offense was unable to gain momentum from a long scoring drive due to the efficiencies of his own defense, who have put the Pioneer offense in easy scoring position several times in both the Triton game and the League Jamboree. Coach Huntress went on to say that if a team scores too easily or quickly the offensive unit tends to get lackadaisical."
According to Farrar's pregame article, "Despite the inexperience of the Ipswich squad, Lynnfield High School coaches Bill Rodan and Harry Jameson respect Ipswich as a well drilled, well coached team and expect a tough contest Saturday."
It was the first meeting ever between Lynnfield and Triton Regional High School, which had just opened its doors two years earlier.
As they did in the jamboree, the Pioneers displayed a ball hawking defense that led to turnovers and then turned them into points.
On the Vikings' first possession, the Pioneers forced a fumble and tackle Mark Stone recovered it on the Triton 34 yard line. Running back Brian Rea cashed in on the miscue with an 18 yard run around left end. Rea rolled for 97 yards on 26 carries according to the account by Geof Simons of the Villager. He needed to pick up the void left when Steve Celata was unable to play due to a leg injury. Alan Harrington added the extra point and the Pioneers had an early 7-0 lead.
Special teams set up the second Pioneer score when Dave DiFillipo and Craig Franklin blocked a Viking punt at the 13 yard line according to Steve Farrar of the Wakefield Item. Quarterback Olsen went to work quickly, passing to Larry Mitkus for the score. It would be the first of three TD passes from Olsen. The PAT was not good but the Pioneers led 13-0.
Triton sliced into the lead late in the opening quarter when Viking lineman Henry Gerard picked off an Olsen pass and returned it 30 yards for the score. The point after was no good so at the end of the first quarter, the Pioneers led 13-6.
The Pioneers got that one back in the second quarter and again it was the defense that set the stage. Stone recovered another Viking fumble at midfield. The running of Rea and Steve Olsen resulted in a 53 yard scoring drive capped off by a TD pass from Steve Olsen to Lindsey Ross.
The Pioneers picked up the conversion on a circus play.
As described by Simons, "a bad snap caused the ball to bounce loose. Harrington picked it up and lofted it into the endzone. The ball bounced off a Triton defender's helmet and into the arms of Larry Mitkus who stepped in for the two points."
That gave the Pioneers a 21-6 halftime lead.
Lynnfield put it away in the third on a Steve Olsen to Bob Olsen 52 yard bomb. The point after was wide but the Pioneers still led 27-6 and was dominating the game.
Head coach Bill Rodan brought in the second team for the fourth quarter and they battled the Viking varsity to a scoreless tie until the final play of the game when Triton scored on a one yard pass.
When all was said and done, the Pioneers had their first ever CAL win by a 27-12 count.
Steve Olsen finished the day 6 for 11 for 104 yards and three touchdowns leading a potent offensive attack.
The defense was just as effective, holding the Vikes to a pair of first downs, forcing two fumbles and six punts and allowing Triton only 60 yards of offense.
With their first win under their belts, the Pioneers prepared to head on the road for their first ever CAL road game at tough Ipswich. Lynnfield had played the Tigers four times from 1965 to 1968 and lost each time. The games were all tight as Ipswich's margin of victory averaged 4.2 points.
The Pioneers were hoping to have Celata back for the game which they expected to help bolster the offense.
Despite the Pioneers easy win, the Lynnfield coaches were not entirely happy with the Lynnfield offense which sputtered against Triton when trying to put together long drives.
Defensive coach Fred Huntress told Farrar that he thought the "Pioneer offense was unable to gain momentum from a long scoring drive due to the efficiencies of his own defense, who have put the Pioneer offense in easy scoring position several times in both the Triton game and the League Jamboree. Coach Huntress went on to say that if a team scores too easily or quickly the offensive unit tends to get lackadaisical."
According to Farrar's pregame article, "Despite the inexperience of the Ipswich squad, Lynnfield High School coaches Bill Rodan and Harry Jameson respect Ipswich as a well drilled, well coached team and expect a tough contest Saturday."
Next: The Pioneers visit the Tigers' den
1973 Flashback
Providing the pep for the football team were the Pioneer Cheerleaders led by captains Laura Bloomberg and Janice Neavitt. The rest of the squad was Ellen Nightengale, Gina Minichello, Sue Prisco, Maria Blaustein, Anne Ragone, Merri Lundblad, Barbara Mead, Denise Hunt, Cathy Carey, Debbie Cronin, Jo Anne Dolbeare, Martha Watson and Sue Lederman.
Also, Reading Lumber was selling the new 4 quart capacity Buttermatic Popcorn Popper - "Butter the corn...as it pops!" - for only $6.77.
1973 Flashback
Also, Reading Lumber was selling the new 4 quart capacity Buttermatic Popcorn Popper - "Butter the corn...as it pops!" - for only $6.77.
If you played on or were involved with the 1973 Pioneers and would like to share a memory, please pass it on to me at tcondardo@gmail.com.
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