Lynnfield leaves Swampscott Blue

LYNNFIELD – When Lynnfield running back Jake Rourke carried the ball the first nine plays of the game and capped the drive off with a six-yard touchdown run, Swampscott High football fans had to know they might be in for a long night.The Big Blue has managed to pulled a rabbit out of the hat in each of their last four games to first make the playoffs then advance. But there was no fourth-quarter miracle Friday night in a 35-7 loss to the Pioneers at Lynnfield High School.Lynnfield advances to the Division 4 North final at Winthrop next week.Rourke?s opening drive forced the Big Blue to focus on stopping the ground attack and that opened up an aerial assault by Lynnfield quarterback Dan Sullivan and his band of talented receivers.The Pioneers were able to mix it up with a steady running game that was helped out by a combination of clutch defensive plays and big pass plays.Although the Pioneers? second drive of the game stalled at the Lynnfield 28 despite a killed 52-yard pass by Sullivan to Jonny Knee, Swampscott ended up giving the ball right back when quarterback Devin Conroy was picked off by Lynnfield?s Cam Rondeau, who ran the ball back 33 yards to the Lynnfield 19. Two plays later, Sullivan ran it in from the one and Lynnfield had a 14-0 lead. Dan Bronshvayq kicked the extra point on both touchdowns.Swampscott got the ball back, but not for long. The Big Blue had a very tough time moving the ball in the first half and three plays later, Lynnfield was back at again with good field position at the Swampscott 47. After two small gains, Sullivan hit Rondeau with a 49-yard touchdown pass. Bronshvayq?s kick was good and the Pioneers were firmly in the driver?s seat with a 21-0 lead.The margin ballooned to 28-0 when Sullivan hit Knee with a 57-yard touchdown pass on the Pioneers? next possession.Lynnfield took a 28-0 lead into the locker room at the half.Swampscott?s Conroy didn?t have much success with his passing game in the first half, but he started to connect in the opening drive of the second half.The Big Blue started their drive on their own 32, but Conroy found Ryan Cresta with a 25-yard pass, one for 10 yards, and another for 21 yard to put Swampscott in the red zone. He capped the seven-play drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Rizzo. Jeremy Epstein kicked the extra point.The Big Blue kept possession much of the second half, but Lynnfield had one big play left in the tank and that was a Sullivan 65-yard touchdown pass to Knee. Bronshvayq kicked the extra point.?We didn?t wake up until the fourth quarter,” Swampscott coach Steve Dembowski said, adding that Lynnfield was able to establish its ground game and then go to the pass.Dembowski said it seemed at times like 11 guys would be on the field, nine knew the play and two didn?t.Lynnfield coach Neal Weidman was happy with his team?s performance.?We played a good team. They?re scary because they do so many different things out there. You just can?t let up because (Dembowski) always has something up his sleeve,” Weidman said.Sullivan passed for 237 yards, hitting eight of 12. Conroy started off slow, but finished with 201 yards passing with most of the yardage coming in the second half.Lynnfield?s Knee had 174 yards receiving on three catches. Rondeau had one for 49 yards. Rourke had 95 yards rushing.