HAMILTON — Simply put, this was not the Lynnfield football team’s finest hour.
Saturday on a beautiful autumn day on the Generals’ Senior Day, the Pioneers (1-6) were unable to muster any offense and were shut out for the first time this season, losing 16-0.
The first half was downright ugly for both teams with the only offense for either team coming courtesy of the officials, who whistled a combined 10 penalties totalling 105 yards in a half in which there were more penalty yards than were gained from the line of scrimmage. The Pioneers mustered only 80 total yards in the first half, 60 of them coming on four Generals’ penalties.
“Our penalties were brutal, just real killers, but it was a very physical game,” said Lynnfield coach Pat Lamusta. “We reminded the kids at halftime that they needed to not get caught up by the chippiness of the game, that they needed to not let it get the best of them and that they needed to stay out of that stuff. Being young, this was a real learning experience today.
“The good news for us was that our defensive continued to be awesome, as it has been all year. They faced some speed and athleticism, but showed great pursuit to get to the edge and made some key plays to keep us in the game. We just need to find a way to execute on offense.”
Despite all that, however, the Pioneers were right in the game coming out of halftime, and, having the deferred the game-opening kickoff, were getting the ball back to start the third quarter.
But it only went from bad to worse for the Pioneers, who coughed up the ball on its first two possessions, running only three plays from scrimmage.
The first turnover, a fumble after starting the drive on their 30 (recovered by Quinlan Kelly on the Pioneers’ 19), was all the Generals needed to take the lead for good. They went six plays, capped by a 2-yard plunge by Sam Webber (15 carries for 37 yards, 2 TDs) on a 4th-and-goal with 6:52 left in the third quarter. After Aidan Nistle tacked on the extra point, it was 7-0, Generals (5-2).
Lynnfield had decent field position on its next drive, starting at its 30. On 2nd-and-10, Matt Fiore (2 catches, 42 yards) hauled in a pass from quarterback Clayton Marengi (6-of-14, 52 yards, INT), took it 34 yards to the Generals’ 36 and appeared to be down by contact. A Hamilton-General player grabbed the ball out of Fiore’s hands as he was on the ground. The play was ruled a fumble, shutting down the Pioneers’ most promising drive of the game.
The defense again stood strong, forcing a turnover on downs and giving the ball to the Pioneers on its 5. But after a three-and-out, Anthony Floramo, Jr.’s punt out of the end zone was blocked by Thomas Monahan for a safety to make it 9-0 with 8:22 to play.
After a free kick, the Generals started at the 50 and looked to have stalled out at the Pioneers’ 17. But facing 4th-and-7 with 4:14 left to play, quarterback Billy Whelan (9-of-18, 73 yards) found a wide-open Webber, who scampered into the end zone to put the game out of reach.
The Pioneers ran only 10 plays in the second half, picking up just 57 total yards, 15 of them courtesy of Generals’ penalties.
Lynnfield did not have enough points to make the MIAA football playoffs. The Pioneers play at Watertown later this week at a date and time to be announced.
