NORTH READING — The Pioneers had no trouble finishing the season on a high note, romping to a 32-6 win over North Reading Thursday at Arthur J. Kinney Athletic Field.
The Hornets had won the last six Thanksgiving Day games, but, thanks to a monster effort from senior captain James Sharkey, the Pioneers (7-4) turned tables, handing the Division 5 Super Bowl-bound Hornets their second loss of the season.
Truth be told, Sharkey was all over the field. He scored two rushing touchdowns (1-yard, 24-yards), ran for 47 yards on five carries and had half a dozen tackles. He picked off a pass from freshman quarterback Jason Berry and applied constant pressure in the backfield from start to finish.
“Just classic Sharkey, sideline to sideline, on D on O,” said Head Coach Pat Lamusta. “He doesn’t want to get tackled so you will see him breaking tackles and you can count on him for vocal leadership; he’s the signal caller on D and on offense he is Mr. Reliable with the football. It’s been really fun seeing him through everything this year. I’m really proud of James. He played a heckuva game. He was all over the field.”
After forcing North Reading to punt on its first drive, thanks in part to a second down sack by Arthur Chiaradonna, Lynnfield needed only eight plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Sharkey.
Senior captain Robert Marley (two carries for 35 yards) and senior captain Charlie Capachietti (nine yards) made key plays on the drive. Sharkey’s TD was set up by a 7-yard completion from sophomore quarterback Tyler Adamo to junior Joseph Cuchiniello.
Senior Kevin Julian snuffed out the Hornets next possession, intercepting a Berry pass on the 9-yard line.
The Pioneers needed just five plays to go the distance. Marley (100 yards on six carries) turned on the jets from 54 yards out to put the Pioneers on top 13-0 early in the second quarter. Both teams struggled offensively through the rest of the half.
Lynnfield wasted no time stepping up in the second half, scoring on all three possessions. Sharkey notched his second TD with a 24-yard run to make it 19-0. The score was set up by an Adamo to senior Jack Calichman 18-yard strike.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Pioneers struck again about two minutes later on sophomore Madux Iovinelli’s 6-yard rush making it 25-0. Julian tacked on the final score, taking a pass from Adamo into the house from 26 yards out. The score was set up by a 25-yard run from Sharkey.
North Reading avoided the shutout on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Berry to Lucas Do Val.
North Reading did not play its starters. Coach Eddie Blum said injuries were a factor in the decision. Starters did play in the 2021 game only to go on to lose the Division 5 Super Bowl game.
Lamusta highlighted the play of Iovinelli, Adamo, Chase Goldberg, and Ethan Downey, who jump-started the Pioneers’ second scoring drive with a 13-yard pickup on a lateral from Adamo.
“Chase is our nose guard and is always taking on the biggest guys. It might not show in the stat book, but he had a great game today and Tyler did a great job managing our drives,” said Lamusta. “Maddox had a great catch and that was a unique trick play to Ethan. He’s one of our solid lineman and we gave him an opportunity to run with the football and it was an exciting play. He wanted to score, naturally. He’s just been an awesome lineman for us on both sides of the ball this year. While he’s not a captain, he has captain-like leadership.”
For Lamusta, the day was bittersweet as he knows he is losing a strong senior class.
“It’s a great feeling, especially with this senior group,” said Head Coach Pat Lamusta. “They were the first class I had when I became the head coach and they’ve worked hard all season. With them, regardless of some of the weirdness today, they went out, they played hard, and they had fun. That’s all I could ask for and I am very, very proud of all of those 22 guys.
“They are all going to do very well in life. Some of them will be back coaching. They are just great guys. I’m happy for them and I’m really happy for our program,” Lamusta said.
