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 |
October 3, 1973 - In a season of firsts, the Pioneers notched another one in Ipswich when they earned their first road win in the CAL in a bare knuckle brawl with the Tigers.
The hard hitting contests resulted in 10 total turnovers, four for Lynnfield and six for Ipswich, and resulted in the loss of two key Pioneers due to injury.
Once again it was the Pioneer defense that got things going. Lynnfield recovered an Ipswich fumble at midfield and the Pioneers quickly took advantage. On first down, quarterback Steve Olsen connected with Lindsey Ross on a 47 yard TD pass, according to the account by Steve Farrar in the Wakefield Item. The Villager's Geof Simons reported that Alan Harrington came on to attempt the extra point but there was a miscue on the snap and the ball ended up in Olsen's hands. After a quick scramble, he hit Ross in the endzone and the Pioneers led 8-0.
The Tigers answered right back on their next possession on a four play scoring drive capped by a 40 yard TD run by Dave Player. Ipswich tried a run for the two point conversion but the Pioneer defense stuffed the play and held on to an 8-6 lead until halftime.
The Tigers took the lead in the third quarter on a Peter Amaro to Jack Palis 18 yard touchdown pass. Once again, Ipswich tried to run in the conversion but again the Pioneer defense held to keep the deficit to 12-8. As Simons said in his report, "the defense on these rush attempts proved to be the key to the victory."
The Pioneers took the lead for good early in the fourth quarter on a score set up by special teams. This time it was Ross, who returned three kicks for 95 yards, who did the damage returning a punt from the Lynnfield 25 to the Tiger 37 yard line.
Olsen hit Larry Mitkus for a first down at the 15 and then carried it himself to the three yard line "behind Jeff Silva, John Callahan and John Imbrescia" according to Farrar's report. Brian Rea than bulldozed to the one foot line and Olsen snuck it in for the go head score.
Harrington came on to boot the extra point and the Pioneers led 15-12 with over six minutes to play.
"The last four minutes was like watching all-star football," head coach Bill Rodan told Simons.
Ipswich had two drives left to try and take the lead but Brian McMahon snuffed out the first one with a fumble recovery and in the closing minutes, Harrington intercepted a pass to seal the victory.
The win was costly as the Pioneers lost Gary Wolfe for the season with a serious leg injury and would be without Dave DiFillipo for several games with a shoulder injury.
Olsen threw for 81 yards, 76 of those to Ross, and Rea did most of the heavy load running the ball.
The win lifted the Pioneers to 2-0 in their new league, the first time Lynnfield started the season 2-0 since 1963 when the Pioneers defeated Weston and Westwood in their first two contests.
Next: The Pioneers host winless Masconomet
1973 Flashback
In a controversial decision, the Planning Board approved a nine house Todd Lane subdivision off Summer Street. Many area residents were in opposition citing "increased congestion on an already busy street that will result from added housing." They were also concerned because of the subdivision's proximity to the Summer Street School, noting that the new street would be almost directly opposite the entrance to the school.
If you wanted to enjoy entertainment at home, you could always run down to Grant City in North Reading and pick up a new "big screen portable color TV."
"Big Value! Big 18" diagonally measured screen!" The set featured "twin antenna's and a handle" for only $278.
The hard hitting contests resulted in 10 total turnovers, four for Lynnfield and six for Ipswich, and resulted in the loss of two key Pioneers due to injury.
Once again it was the Pioneer defense that got things going. Lynnfield recovered an Ipswich fumble at midfield and the Pioneers quickly took advantage. On first down, quarterback Steve Olsen connected with Lindsey Ross on a 47 yard TD pass, according to the account by Steve Farrar in the Wakefield Item. The Villager's Geof Simons reported that Alan Harrington came on to attempt the extra point but there was a miscue on the snap and the ball ended up in Olsen's hands. After a quick scramble, he hit Ross in the endzone and the Pioneers led 8-0.
The Tigers answered right back on their next possession on a four play scoring drive capped by a 40 yard TD run by Dave Player. Ipswich tried a run for the two point conversion but the Pioneer defense stuffed the play and held on to an 8-6 lead until halftime.
The Tigers took the lead in the third quarter on a Peter Amaro to Jack Palis 18 yard touchdown pass. Once again, Ipswich tried to run in the conversion but again the Pioneer defense held to keep the deficit to 12-8. As Simons said in his report, "the defense on these rush attempts proved to be the key to the victory."
The Pioneers took the lead for good early in the fourth quarter on a score set up by special teams. This time it was Ross, who returned three kicks for 95 yards, who did the damage returning a punt from the Lynnfield 25 to the Tiger 37 yard line.
Olsen hit Larry Mitkus for a first down at the 15 and then carried it himself to the three yard line "behind Jeff Silva, John Callahan and John Imbrescia" according to Farrar's report. Brian Rea than bulldozed to the one foot line and Olsen snuck it in for the go head score.
Harrington came on to boot the extra point and the Pioneers led 15-12 with over six minutes to play.
"The last four minutes was like watching all-star football," head coach Bill Rodan told Simons.
Ipswich had two drives left to try and take the lead but Brian McMahon snuffed out the first one with a fumble recovery and in the closing minutes, Harrington intercepted a pass to seal the victory.
The win was costly as the Pioneers lost Gary Wolfe for the season with a serious leg injury and would be without Dave DiFillipo for several games with a shoulder injury.
Olsen threw for 81 yards, 76 of those to Ross, and Rea did most of the heavy load running the ball.
The win lifted the Pioneers to 2-0 in their new league, the first time Lynnfield started the season 2-0 since 1963 when the Pioneers defeated Weston and Westwood in their first two contests.
Next: The Pioneers host winless Masconomet
1973 Flashback
If you wanted to enjoy entertainment at home, you could always run down to Grant City in North Reading and pick up a new "big screen portable color TV."
"Big Value! Big 18" diagonally measured screen!" The set featured "twin antenna's and a handle" for only $278.
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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