Hamilton-Wenham Game Preview: General Alert

by Tom Condardo

Something odd will be happening Friday night at Pioneer Stadium. Lynnfield and Hamilton Wenham will be playing in the final regular season game and the league title won't be on the line. Since 2009, the Pioneers/Generals matchup has always had championship implications and the two teams have finished one, two in the standings for each of those seasons.

The Pioneers won it in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, and the Generals took the crown in 2010 and 2011. But not this year. Lynnfield has clinched first place and HW can finish no higher than third. They come in 2-2 in the league (2-4) overall, but Ipswich is 3-1 and beat the Generals so they hold the tiebreaker and clinched second place.

But that doesn't mean there isn't a lot on the line.

The Pioneers need a win to ensure a home playoff game and an outside shot at the second seed. And believe it or not, the Generals, despite losing their first four games, are still mathematically alive. Lots of things have to happen such as: Georgetown has to beat Ipswich; Triton, Bedford, Watertown, and Winthrop all have to lose and some other out of town games have to fall the right way. But it is possible.

Oh and of course they have to beat the Pioneers.

Head coach Neal Weidman has called Hamilton-Wenham the Pioneers' second rivalry after North Reading and both teams certainly will approach it that way. Weidman expects the Generals to come out hard and the Pioneers will have to match that intensity if they hope to finish the regular season 6-1.

"We have another game to play with valuable points," Weidman said following the Georgetown game. "(Hamilton-Wenham) has always been a rival game for us. They are going to come ready to rock and roll. It'll be good for us. We'll have to strap it up and play which is great."

The Generals come in riding a two game winning streak, having beaten Georgetown 34-7 two weeks ago and then erasing a 16-0 lead to stun Amesbury 21-16 last week. They won that one in the last minute of play when quarterback CJ Cooper hit sophomore receiver Cam Peach in the endzone.

The Generals started the season using a unique two quarterback system with both Thomas Rostad and Cooper in the backfield of the spread at the same time. They would each take snaps so the defense never knew who was in control. Rostad was lost to injury and Cooper is now the full time signal caller and he appears to be getting better by the week. The General offense is following suit.

The are predominantly a passing team with Cooper - at 6'2" 200 lbs. the same size as Pioneer QB Jake McHugh - the most effective runner. If he's not contained he can do some damage on the ground. The passing attack continues to improve as Cooper has two solid receivers in Peach - his primary target - and captain Hunter Ascolillo a shifty, sure handed option.

It's a typical agressive, swarming H/W defense with blitzes coming from everywhere on nearly every play. The Pioneer offensive line will have to be ready when the Generals try to shoot the gaps.

Even Rivalry
This will be the 43rd meeting between the schools who have met every year since 1973. The overall results couldn't be much closer with the Pioneers holding a 21-20-1 lead record-wise and a 674-671 edge in points. The Pioneers have held the upper hand lately winning the last three straight. The Generals haven't scored on the Lynnfield defense since 2012 as the Pioneers have posted two consecutive shutouts 34-0 and 35-0 the past two years.

Senior Night
It will be another celebration at Pioneer Stadium Friday night as the team honors the squad's 20 graduating 12th graders on Senior Night. The festivities begin at 6:40. Kick off is 7 pm.

That's it for now. Check back Sunday night for some leftovers.