Lynnfield benefits from Danvers’ mistakes

LYNNFIELD – Within a brief six-minute period during the second quarter, Lynnfield took advantage of Danvers miscues and secured a 21-0 win at Lynnfield Middle School on Saturday.Click here for a photo gallery.In a game that featured a total of eight turnovers between the two teams, the Pioneers were able to convert three interceptions into touchdowns in the second quarter.At the start of the second quarter, Danvers (2-3) was attempting to again move the ball downfield after its first two possessions of the game had stalled. With just over 10 minutes showing on the game clock, Alexander Pascucci came up with an interception. The turnover gave Lynnfield (2-2) great field position at the Falcons’ 14-yard line. Two plays later, Kyle McGah found the end zone from one yard out to break the scoreless tie and give the Pioneers the lead.On the very first play of the ensuing Danvers possession, a tip drill broke out in the Lynnfield secondary. After Tyler Palumbo tipped a pass and then dove to batter the dropping ball up again into the air, Anthony Costa managed to secure the interception for the Pioneers. This time, a mix of McGah and Daniel Sullivan rushes ultimately led to freshman Adam Buchanan’s one-yard touchdown plunge.With Lynnfield leading 14-0, the defense once again managed to snuff out the Danvers offense. However, what looked to be a quick three-and-out turned into another Falcon possession when the punted ball ricocheted off a Lynnfield player and was recovered by Danvers.Again Lynnfield came up with a big play, this time with Cameron Rondeau recording the third interception for the Pioneers of the quarter. The turnover came at the Lynnfield six-yard line, giving the Pioneers what seemed like a very long march to score. However, McGah tore off a 93-yard run that led one play later to a one-yard touchdown, this time scored by Sullivan. As Sullivan, substituting during the game at quarterback for the injured captain Michael Karavetsos, ran off the field, four minutes remained in the half.”We definitely started faster this week than we have before,” said Lynnfield coach Neal Weidman. “I thought defensively that our linebackers played well and our defensive backs definitely stepped up.”In the second half, the Lynnfield offense looked poised to strike again, putting together a 15-play drive that ultimately sputtered deep in Danvers territory. Still, the Lynnfield defense came up big, preserving the shutout and not allowing the Falcons to score on any of their three second-half possessions.”I thought our best drive of the game was our first possession of the second half,” said Weidman. “We did not score on it, but we were able to take a ton of time off of the clock and limit the number of possessions for Danvers.”For Lynnfield, McGah proved to be the biggest offensive spark of the afternoon. He finished with 151 yards rushing and a touchdown.