Discombobulated

If you google "just one of those days," chances are you'll come up with a Youtube link to today's Pioneer game.

Nothing seemed right. Nothing felt right. Nothing went right.

No dulcet tones of PA announcer Tom Waisnor since the public address system was on the fritz. No band. Smallish home crowd no doubt due to conflicting Pioneer athletic events with the girls Volleyball team playing at noon and the boys soccer team scheduled for 3 pm.

Just everything out of kilter.

Including the Pioneers on the field.

The result was a frustrating 7-6 loss to Manchester-Essex and a disappointing sendoff to the seniors in their last home game.

The defense pitched a shutout, but couldn't get off the field enough.

The offense never could get untracked, committed three turnovers and provided the Hornets with their only touchdown on a pick six near the end of the first half.

The difference in the game turned out to be a blocked PAT following a TD pass from Mike Karavetsos to Steve Yobaccio. That seemed ironically appropriate in a game that just never seemed to come together for the Pioneers.

To be fair, some if not most of this was due to a fired up M/E team that was revved up from the start and never let down.

You can get all the details and game photos in my Villager game story on Wednesday and I'll have much more tomorrow night in my Leftovers post.

Bad News From Ipswich

It looked good with a minute to go in the first half with Ipswich holding a 6-0 lead. But North Reading scored with 50 second left, kicked the extra point to take a 7-6 and never looked back.

Carl Lipani, who is going to be a handful and a half on Thanksgiving Day for the Pioneers, ran for 227 yards and three TD's to lead the Hornets to a 32-14 beating of the Tigers.

The win gives Ipswich two losses, while North Reading and the Pioneers have one each. With an almost certain win for Hamilton Wenham tomorrow at Georgetown, the Generals will clinch the league title and a playoff berth.

So the Pioneers need to take care of business against Manchester-Essex on Saturday, and set up a battle for second place in the CAL/NEC 4 on Thanksgiving Day.

That's it for now. Check back after the game.