LYNN — A late Lynn Tech surge in the final minutes wasn’t enough as the Tigers’ football team fell, 34-32, to Northeast Saturday afternoon at Manning Field.
The Tigers defense had no answer for Knights running backs Zach Sanderson and Connor Joseph, who combined for more than 250 yards and four touchdowns.
Tech quarterback David Barrios completed 11-of-18 pass attempts for 248 yards and five touchdowns. Tech failed to convert on all five extra point attempts and totaled less than 20 rushing yards.
“I give a lot of credit to their adjustments,” Tech coach James Runner said of Northeast. “They didn’t do anything we weren’t ready for, we just didn’t make the plays we were suppose to in the first half.
“I’m disappointed because I don’t want to lose to anyone, but I do feel that this opportunity may have happened at the right time,” Runner said. “You let things like this happen and you build your program from it. If you get the loss early maybe it will make you a better team in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how it happens and plays out.”
It didn’t take long for Northeast to start scoring. Quarterback Owen Halley found Sanderson up the seam for a 54-yard gain on the second play from scrimmage. A few plays later, Joseph found the end zone on a 2-yard run and Sanderson converted the two-point conversion to put the Knights ahead 8-0.
The Tigers answered on their first play from scrimmage. Barrios found Giuliani Daniells for a 75-yard touchdown pass to cut the Knights lead to 8-6 after a failed two-point attempt.
On the next drive, the Knights once again reaped the benefits of Joseph’s powerful run game as he scored on a 10-yard run to extend the lead. However, on the ensuing 2-point attempt Haidar Bdaiwi ripped the football out of Sanderson’s grasp and ran nearly 100 yards to give Tech two points and cut the Northeast lead to 14-8.
From there, Northeast controlled play on its way to a 20-point lead. Sanderson broke away for a 88-yard touchdown run and Halley scrambled for a 7-yard touchdown to put the Knights ahead 28-8.
Tech got a much-needed touchdown on its last possession of the first half. Barrios completed 4-of-5 passes, including a 21-yard touchdown strike to Elvin Gonzalez, to cut Northeast’s lead to 28-14.
On the opening drive of the second half a Northeast defensive mistake left Edward Cuevas wide open and Barrios found him for a 60-yard touchdown to slim the deficit to eight.
The Knights responded with 56-yards, all on the ground, before Sanderson scored on a 12-yard run (two-point failed) to extend Northeast’s lead to 34-20.
Down by 14 in the fourth quarter, the Tigers weren’t ready to give up. Barrios found Gonzalez, this time for a 23-yard touchdown pass, but a failed two-point conversion kept the deficit at 34-26.
After a huge fourth-down stop, the Tigers found themselves with possession at midfield and an opportunity to tie the game. Needing a conversion on 4th-and-7, Barrios found Cuevas for a 52-yard touchdown to cut the Northeast lead to 34-32.
The comeback fell short however, as a failed two-point attempt and onside kick allowed Northeast to run out the rest of the game and secure the 34-32 victory.
The Tigers (3-1) look to rebound Saturday at Greater Lowell (3).
“We have to remind our guys that we are a lot better than we played today,” Runner said. “Number two, we have to get after it on Monday and Tuesday and make sure we get back in the film sessions and weight room and get ready for a big clash with Greater Lowell.”
