Scrimmage unites coaches with Lynn roots

While only one of the three high school football teams that scrimmaged each other at Tech on Saturday is actually located in Lynn, all three head coaches have connections to the city.Tech and head coach James Runner faced off against Boston English — coached by Brian Vaughan, a 1992 graduate of Lynn English – and Ipswich, coached by former Lynn English assistant Greg Brotherton.?Three coaches from the same city,” Runner said. “It?s good for all three programs.”Runner?s Tigers scrimmaged Vaughan?s Pope John teams the last two years. The coaching connection continued this year, after Vaughan moved over to Boston English.?I think it?s a good opportunity for him,” Runner said. “The Boston public schools have some good athletes.?Coach Brotherton knows Coach Vaughan and contacted him. (Coach Vaughan) mentioned he was going to be (scrimmaging) with us.”The result was a tri-scrimmage, featuring such components as a lineman challenge and red-zone and goal-line situations.?My defense didn?t give up a touchdown,” Runner said, although he added, “The offense needed some work.”The Lynn connections didn?t end with the head coaches. Former Lynn Chargers and West Lynn coach Joe Johnson, a Lynn resident, is an assistant on Vaughan?s staff, as he was when Vaughan was head coach at Pope John. Coach Johnson was in an unusual position. One of his sons, Jamar, is a freshman quarterback/free safety with the Tech program.?I got a chance to coach against my son the first two series,” Coach Johnson said. “It was great, exciting. He asked, ?Dad, what kind of defense (are you playing)?? I said, ?I?m not going to tell you. You have to read (it).?”After the series, Coach Johnson said, his son told him, “Dad, I read your defense! I knew what your defense was doing.” Coach Johnson said, “That?s the sign of a great quarterback. I love my son. I love what he?s doing.”