LYNN — The visiting Lawrence Lancers manhandled Lynn English in all phases of the game in the Bulldogs’ home opener at Manning Field under the Friday night lights. The final score favored Lawrence 27-0.
English’s offense struggled from the get-go. After the defense forced a three-and-out on Lawrence’s opening possession, the Bulldogs were plagued by penalties and an inability to win the line of scrimmage.
Their first two possessions netted just 1 yard combined. The Bulldogs’ next three possessions were even worse, all three-and-outs.
A slew of penalties and a half dozen quarterback sacks didn’t help. In the first half alone, the Bulldogs were penalized 25 yards on four infractions.
The Bulldogs also struggled on defense and special teams. Its second possession of the first half ended with a mishandled punt that went over the punter’s head. He managed to get the punt off, but it netted just 10 yards.
For Lawrence, a Jayden Abreau completion from the 14-yard line in the second quarter to Dylan Sosa looked to be just a short gain of 5 yards, but Sossa muscled his way through several tacklers and took it 86 yards to the house to make it a 12-0 game.
The second quarter had some anxious moments. An English player went down on the field, causing a 20-minute delay while he was attended to. The referees stopped the game at about the 3:40 mark, electing to tack on time to the second half.
The Lancers began the second half with a PAT attempt. Danny Mejia split the uprights, giving Lawrence a 13-0 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Lancers’ Justin De La Rosa nearly broke it, returning it 46 yards before he was pushed out of bounds by an English defender at the English 24.
Six plays later, Abreau found Frendy Soler wide open in the end zone from 6 yards out. After Mejia tacked on the extra point, Lawrence led 20-0.
It was more of the same on the Bulldog’s first possession. Quarterback Jaiden Rosario, who had been alternating snaps with Limbert Thomas, was sacked for a 5-yard loss back to the English 14. After a pair of incompletions, the Bulldogs punted for the fifth time.
The Lancers drove to the 28 and, facing a third-and-5, junior Waleri Mora Cruz tackled David Manion for a 3-yard loss, setting up a fourth-and-8 from the 31. The play went for naught when Abreau connected with Manion for 10 yards for the first down.
Three plays later, Manion hauled in another touchdown from Abreau from 25 yards out to make it a 27-0 game after another point by Mejia with about six minutes to go in the game.
English’s Thomas was 1-for-5 for just 5 yards in the first half (to junior Jordan Hernandez).
The Bulldogs are back in action Thursday when they travel to Blocksidge Field in Swampscott. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
English’s first Greater Boston League game is at home the following week against perennial powerhouse Everett on Friday, Sept. 22. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
Both opponents had the Bulldogs’ number last year with the Big Blue winning 27-6 and Crimson Tide rolling to a 37-0 shoutout win.
