Resilient Tech tops Greater Lowell

LYNN – The Lynn Tech football team committed 10 penalties, fumbled four times and threw two interceptions against Greater Lowell on Saturday at Manning Field ? and still found a way to give coach James Runner a 30th birthday present to remember.The Tigers overcame mistakes galore thanks to an equally opportunistic defense and a hard-nosed ground game that gained 264 yards while Kennedy Gomes threw two TD’s and ran for a third in a 28-10 win over the Gryphons.Greater Lowell10Tech28 “I am really proud of the guys,” Runner said. “We had a lot of adversity last week and we challenged this team in practice all week as coaches. I’m proud of how they handled everything (Saturday).”The Tigers (1-4, 1-2 Commonwealth Conference/Large) were nearly their own worst enemy on Saturday as they turned a 7-0 lead into a 10-7 Greater Lowell second quarter lead thanks to an interception for a touchdown and a safety when Gomes was wrestled down in the end zone.Showing some resolve, Tech got a Gomes interception following the safety and then took the lead just before the half when E.J. Ward got behind the defense and the Tiger quarterback found him for a 35-yard score to make it 15-10.”When the safety happened, I was expecting the guys to respond and it was good to see them come back quick,” Runner said.Tech then turned to its defense to lead the way in the second half.The Tigers forced Greater Lowell (0-5, 0-4 CAC Large) into a punt to begin the second half before Tech’s ground attack went to work. Tem Tchoumi (79 yards), Gomes (76 yards) and Pedro Martinez (68 yards) did all the work on a nine-play, 80-yard march that Martinez ended with an eight-yard run to make it 21-10 Tech with 2:50 left in the third.”Our line play was the big difference in the game,” Runner said. “Our offensive line blocked great and our defensive line destroyed them up front.”Greater Lowell had a chance to cut into the lead early in the fourth quarter when it reached the Tiger 25. Once again, however, the Tech defense came up huge by pressuring quarterback Derek Dolan into a mistake that Ward intercepted at the 15.Gomes immediately got the Tigers out of the terrible field position with a 46-yard gain on a keeper and then delivered the knockout blow when he hit Richie Warren for a 35-yard touchdown to make it 28-10 with 9:02 to go.”The way we won was good. The whole team was able to make some plays for us,” Runner said.The Tech defense made sure the lead held up, forcing two more fumbles by the Gryphons to put the finishing touches on the win.