LYNNFIELD — Friday night’s game between visiting Triton and Lynnfield may not have been the prettiest football game you’ve ever seen, but the Pioneers made the most of their opportunities to come away with a 38-3 win on Senior Night.
The Pioneers spotted the Vikings a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, but after that, it was all Lynnfield, which ran off 38 unanswered points to improve to 4-1.
The game was penalty-ridden from start to finish with 19 combined penalties.
“I’m proud of them for playing hard and playing physical and it was a great win for the seniors,” Pioneers’ head coach Pat Lamusta said. “But we have to clean up the penalty stuff.”
Quarterback Tyler Adamo (11-for-18) threw for two touchdowns. Spenser D’Augusta ran for one score and caught an Adamo pass for another. Madux Iovinelli (37-yard reception), Jared Bernabei (5-yard run), and Matt Tracy (8-yard run) also scored.
Massimo LoGrasso (5-of-5 extra points) was pure perfection on extra points for a third straight week and also converted a 26-yard field goal to tie the game, 3-3, with 8:12 remaining in the first half.
Lynnfield closed out the first half with two touchdowns in a combined 14 seconds and two plays from scrimmage to lead, 17-3, at halftime.
Iovinelli (7 catches, 93 yards) set up the first score when he blocked a Triton punt, giving the Pioneers possession at the Vikings’ 5-yard line. Adamo needed just one play to find D’Augusta (3 catches, 42 yards) in the endzone to make it 10-3 after LoGrasso’s PAT.
After forcing a Vikings’ punt, Lynnfield regained possession at the Triton 37. Adamo fed Iovinelli flying down the right sideline on the next play to bump the lead to 17-3.
The third quarter was ugly. Through nine minutes, the teams combined for 10 penalties.
Lynnfield drove to the Triton 39 only to stall, forcing a punt with the Vikings taking over on their 24, only to fumble the ball away on the second play of the drive. Nick Kelter recovered the ball at the Triton 22. Two plays later, D’Augusta ran it in from the 5-yard line to bump the Pioneers’ lead to 24-3.
On its ensuing possession, Triton went for it on fourth down from its 26 only to fumble the snap, returning the ball to Lynnfield just 18 yards from the promised land. Two plays later, Bernabei made it 31-3 with a 5-yard scamper.
Quarterback Matt Tracy capped the scoring with a 9-yard keeper with under two minutes to go in the game.
The Pioneers’ next game is Friday night at Newburyport’s James T. Stehlin Field at World War Memorial Stadium (6:30 p.m.). This will be the second straight year the Pioneers, ranked No. 6 in the Division 6 power rankings, have to play Newburyport, the No. 7 ranked team in the Division 5 power rankings, on the road.
“Playing at Newburyport is an exciting place to play, but we really wanted it as a home game because it was our turn to be at home,” Lamusta said. “Things got shifted around by the league, so we are going back up there in back-to-back years. Our players are looking forward to it regardless. It will be a competitive game for sure.”
