Lynnfield football team clinches third straight league title

HAMILTON – Big plays may have skewed the score a bit, but make no mistake: With the CAL Baker crown and playoff berth on the line, undefeated Lynnfield dismantled Hamilton-Wenham Saturday afternoon, 35-0.The title is the third straight for the Pioneers (4-0, 6-0), currently third in the Division 4 North power rankings behind Winthrop and Watertown.?The score was different than I might have expected because of the big plays and quick scores but they (Hamilton-Wenham) are still a physical, tough team. They?re competitive and they?re coaches are competitive,” said coach Neal Weidman, who admitted to a twinge of worry about the silence of his seniors.?The seniors were quiet today, everywhere — in the locker room, on the bus, on the sideline. I wasn?t sure how to take that,” Weidman said.Turns out their performances spoke volumes.Jon Knee finished with four receptions for 72 yards and two scores and added two interceptions. Cam Rondeau scored twice from distance on a 53-yard run and 62-yard pass. Dan Sullivan completed seven of eight passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns. Jake Rourke rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown and had a sack. David Adams and Chad Martin also had sacks, Kevin Lee had an interception, and Steve White recovered a fumble on the game?s second play.That came at the Generals? 40 and, on third-and-12 from the 29, Sullivan found Knee running free on a deep post route for what would be the winning score. Dan Bronshvayg?s first of five PAT kicks made it 7-0.Hamilton-Wenham countered with its best drive but the 49-yard march to the Lynnfield 20 was squelched by Lee?s interception.The Pioneers put it away with three scores in a span of 6:36 in the second quarter.Rondeau raced 53 yards on a jet sweep with 7:38 left in the half then Knee stretched the advantage when he hauled in Sullivan?s 18-yard strike, capping a six-play, 60-yard drive 3:27 before intermission.With 1:12 left in the half, Sullivan spun out of what seemed to be a sure sack, slid to his left and lofted a perfectly-thrown ball into the waiting hands of Rondeau, who ran through two tackles on the sideline to complete a 62-yard score. Bronshvayg made it 28-0.?That TD before the half was a killer for them. I don?t think we necessarily saw anything in their coverage. They were committed to stopping the run and when you do that, you can usually find something else open,” said Weidman.Rourke?s three-yard run completed the scoring midway through the third quarter.?It?s been quite a run for our seniors, to win (titles) as sophomores, juniors and seniors. I?m obviously happy for them but it?s also good for the new (sophomore) class to see what it?s like to win. It makes them want to work that much harder,” said Weidman.The shutout was the third of the season for the Pioneers, who boast both the Cape Ann League?s stingiest defense (3.3 ppg) and highest-scoring offense (35.3 ppg). The Pioneers complete the qualification portion of their schedule Friday at home against Ipswich.