Football: Lynnfield looks to wrap up CAL Small crown

One of the great comeback stories of the 2009 high school football season on the North Shore has a chance to get punctuated on Saturday morning (10) at Pioneer Field, when Lynnfield hosts Hamilton-Wenham in a Cape Ann League/Small battle.The Pioneers (8-1, 4-0) sit a win away from claiming the program’s first league championship in over two decades. It’s an even more amazing turnaround when you consider that the team won just three games a year ago.Lynnfield has run off six straight wins since a 28-7 loss at Wilmington in week three. Led by the tandem of Gino Cohee and Chris Grassi, the Pioneers have averaged 22.6 points per game this season.Last week, the Pioneers were both efficient and balanced in a 20-3 win at Ipswich. Lynnfield rushed for 150 yards and Cohee passed for 155. The senior quarterback added 110 of the rushing yards and scored twice while throwing for a third score.The Pioneer defense also has matured this season, surrendering a league-low 11.2 points per game.Gr. Lawrence at TechAt Manning Field (7), the Tigers (6-3, 2-2 Commonwealth Conference/Large) will try to bounce back from a shutout loss to Northeast Regional last week. This week’s foe, the Reggies, have a 7-2 record.Tech was without an injured Ryan Murphy last week and the Tiger offense struggled mightily, gaining only 35 total yards in a 48-0 loss to the Golden Knights.Beverly at SwampscottAt Blocksidge Field (noon), the defending Northeastern Conference South champions have already assured themselves of a shot at playing for a second straight title on Thanksgiving Day but want to send a talented senior class off with a win.The Big Blue (7-2, 3-0) defeated Saugus, 28-0, last week as the defense held the Sachems to 104 yards of total offense and quarterback Matt Barbuzzi hit his first 13 passes.Barbuzzi has thrown 21 touchdowns and only four interceptions this season while tailback Kyle Shonio needs less than 50 yards to go over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.The Panthers (5-3, 2-2) saw their South title hopes disappear in a 19-point barrage by Marblehead in the second half last week. Beverly led three times in the game, including 21-20 in the third quarter, but couldn’t hold off the Magicians.Quarterback Mark Hannable threw for 166 yards and a touchdown but also had two costly interceptions.BC High at St. John’sAt Cronin Memorial Stadium (2), the Prep (4-4, 2-0 Catholic Conference) would remain firmly in control of its destiny in the Catholic Conference if it could make it four wins in a row following a 1-4 start this season.Last week, the Prep steamrolled past Malden Catholic, 42-12, on the back of a standout performance from senior George Sessoms. Sessoms rushed for 155 yards and four touchdowns while also catching a 33-yard pass from Chris Coady for a fifth score.