Slow start costly for Lynn Tech

ANDOVER – If there is one lesson learned from Lynn Tech’s 21-0 loss to Greater Lawrence at Gleason Field Saturday morning, Tigers’ coach James Runner hopes it is this: One well-played half won’t get it done against a quality opponent.”This is not an easy loss. We prepared well and worked hard all week but mental mistakes really hurt us in the first half. I’m not sure how to explain it but the team we expected in the first half finally showed up and played in the second half, so that’s something we can build on. But it’s a tough loss,” said Runner.Tech (2-3, 0-2) certainly showed plenty of gumption in the second half, limiting the Reggies (5-1, 1-0) to 42 net yards and just two first downs. However, the damage had long since been done. Most frustrating for Runner was Greater Lawrence’s ability to convert a number of big plays despite correct pre-snap diagnoses by the Tech coaching staff.”We knew what they were going to do. We just didn’t execute the things we’d worked on,” Runner said.There was nothing fancy about the Greater Lawrence offense, only a steady dose of senior back Cristian Rivera. He carried 24 times for 130 yards and touchdowns of eight yards and one yard that helped the Reggies build a 15-0 lead early in the second quarter.The backbreaking score came on the final play of the half when Reggies’ quarterback Marcos Ortiz delivered a 10-yard scoring pass to Caige Nichols for a 21-0 lead at the break. Meanwhile, Tech managed a meager 26 net offensive yard in the first half and never crossed midfield.That changed early in the third quarter after Mike Chery recovered a Rivera fumble at the Tech 42. Four consecutive carries by Billy Colon produced 39 yards and two first downs and a personal foul against the Reggies moved the ball to the GL 12. However, Colon fumbled inside the 10 and the Tigers’ best threat went by the boards. They turned the ball over on downs at the GL 41 and 34 yard lines on their final two possessions.Colon (9 carries, 51 yards) and Shawn Osorio (19 carries, 42 yards) accounted for the bulk of Tech’s production. The Reggies focused on eliminating standout quarterback Kennedy Gomes from the offense, sacking him three times for minus-18 yards while holding him to a single net yard from scrimmage.