MALDEN — After a season-opening defensive battle against Nashoba Valley, the Lynn Tech football team left no doubt in its second straight Commonwealth Athletic Conference win Saturday afternoon at Mystic Valley.
Tech scored five of its eight touchdowns in the first half and held Mystic Valley to under 30 yards of total offense en route to a 51-6 triumph at Malden Catholic’s Brother Gilbert Stadium.
Seniors Chance Buono and David Barrios ran for two scores apiece, while Barrios threw to junior Haidar Bdaiwi for another. Junior Luis Pineiro and seniors Elvin Gonzalez and Giuliani Daniells also rushed for touchdowns for Tech, which improved to 2-0.
“I told my guys that this was a statement game,” Tech coach James Runner said. “We’ve earned the name of being a physical football team. My coaches drive that game plan to our players every week, and today was nothing short of that. I think these guys were stellar.”
The statement was made early as Tech recovered a loose ball at the 13-yard line after Eagle senior quarterback Jonah Crain was unable to reach a high snap on the fourth play from scrimmage. Buono responded, scoring a 5-yard touchdown after being tackled for a loss two plays earlier.
It was more of the same for the Tigers two series later as Barrios needed just three plays to find the end zone on a 15-yard quarterback keeper with 24 seconds left in the opening quarter.
Mystic Valley botched snaps on its next two series as well, giving the Tiger offense a short field for two of their second-quarter scoring drives.
“That was a testament to having a 5-man line,” Runner said, giving individual nods to senior linemen Robert Wallace and Ali Bdaiwi as well as middle linebacker Emerson Ramirez. “Our game plan was to take over the line of scrimmage, and I think we did that very well.”
The first drive of the second quarter was an 8-play string that ended with Pineiro scoring from 13 yards out and Haidar Bdaiwi adding a 2-point conversion. Two penalties set the Tigers back on the next series, but it didn’t matter as Barrios ran in a 36-yarder. Buono extended the lead to 32-0 as he scored from seven yards out with 27 seconds left in the half.
“We had a long week of practice, worked out the flaws we had last week, and I’d say we overcame them,” Buono said. “Our linemen were pushing, our quarterback was focused, and we all knew what we had to do.”
Gonzalez was the featured player on Tech’s first drive of the third as he scored a 14-yard touchdown on his fourth carry. Ali Bdaiwi kicked the extra point. The Tigers were faced with a fourth-and-8 on their next possession, but Barrios connected with Haidar Bdaiwi from 24 yards out on the their last of just eight pass plays on the day.
The first drive of the fourth stalled after Mystic Valley gained a first down three plays in, and Tech’s Daniels eluded several tackles during a 62-yard run immediately after the turnover.
“Getting the experience (for six total ball carriers) in was important,” said Runner. “We wanted to see Giuliani break out as a senior, and he had some flashes of what we had last year. It was nice to see a highlight-reel when everyone thought we wouldn’t have that.”
The Eagles did not break even offensively until their final series. A 1-yard run from junior Kenny Jean-Pierre, who is listed as a lineman, broke the shutout with 1:11 to play.
Tech returns home Saturday night (7) to host Minuteman in another CAC clash.
