Tech bounces back with win over Greater Lawrence

“We were on a mission to forget last week’s game,” said Lynn Tech football coach Gary Sverker about last week’s 48-0 loss to Northeast.And did they ever. The Tigers completely erased that debacle from their collective memories by bouncing Commonwealth Conference Large foe Greater Lawrence, 28-18, Saturday at Manning Field. The Reggies are battling it out with Whittier for the league title, to be decided on Turkey Day when the two clubs face one another.”We scored 28 points against a very strong and physical club that had some weight on us at the line,” said Sverker, whose club still has an outside shot to qualify for the vocational school playoffs. “We also got (fullback-linebacker Ryan) Murphy back (he sat out last week’s game with Northeast due to a thigh contusion), and this (Greater Lawrence) was a big challenge for us.”Both squads traded turnovers and possessions throughout the first quarter before Tech took the early lead late in the opening quarter. The Tigers began the possession at their 44 after Reggies quarterback Juan Carlos Gomez had been sacked for an eight-yard loss on fourth-and-1 by linebacker David Mover. After a negative gain on first down, Murphy (21-207) picked up three yards to move the squad to the 45. Quarterback Dustin Rooney then hit teammate Connor Bryson (2-83) in perfect stride at the Greater Lawrence 30, and the receiver broke through several tackles on his way into the end zone. Bryson added the two-point reception courtesy of a Rooney pass for an 8-0 Tech advantage.The Reggies bounced right back. After a 15-yard penalty assessed against the Tigers on the kickoff placed the ball at the Greater Lawrence 41, the team moved into Tech territory with a 15-yard completion from Gomez to receiver Miguel Roman. Halfback Joseph Pizzuto (47-278) added nine yards on his next carry, before splitting through the Tiger defense for 25 yards and a Reggies’ first down at the 10. Pizzuto put Greater Lawrence on the board on the first play of the second quarter with his 10-yard run to get the team within 8-6.Yet Tech only needed 22 seconds to get that touchdown back. The team started its possession at its own 19, but Murphy promptly took a high pitch from Rooney, strode down the far sidelines, cut right, and outraced everyone into the end zone for 81 yards and a 14-6 lead.The Reggies came right back. On second-and-9 from Tech’s 42, Gomez (5-10-0-74) teamed with fullback Jose Sanchez for 30 yards and a first down at the Tiger 12. Pizzuto added his second score two plays later to bring Greater Lawrence back to within 14-12.Tech’s returner Pedro Martinez gave the Tigers solid field position by returning the ensuing kick 47 yards to the Reggies 43. However, the team would not be there that long. Rooney hit halfback Steven Chaisse over the middle at the 20, and then Chaisse zigzagged to his right and into the end zone to increase the score to 20-12 midway through the period.Greater Lawrence had a chance to cut into the Tech lead on its next drive. Gomez gained 16 yards on third-and-10 from the Tech 47 to the 31, and the Reggies were able to advance to the Tigers 27. Yet Pizzuto was brought down for a six-yard loss on third down, and Gomez was sacked on fourth-and-12 to thwart the threat.Both teams battled through a scoreless third quarter, before the Reggies got to within 20-18 early in the fourth quarter. On second-and-13 from Tech’s 41, Pizzuto broke loose down the far sidelines for 36 yards to put his squad at the 5. Gomez then found receiver Brendan Onial in the far corner of the end zone for the score.The Reggies then had a chance to take the lead for the first time after intercepting Rooney on Tech’s next play. After Pizzuto picked up a first down with a 10-yarder to Tech’s 33, the back was knocked back on the next play for negative yardage. He only gained minimal yardage on the next two plays, before falling two yards short of extending the drive on fourth down.”Our defensive line came up big, and our linebackers