LYNNFIELD — The 66th annual Thanksgiving rivalry game between Lynnfield and North Reading took place at Pioneer Stadium Thursday, but the hosts came up short as North Reading earned bragging rights with a dominant 49-0 win.
“We knew it was going to be a tough one. At the end of the day, we got some younger guys in to see what they could do. They played tough right until the end,” said Lynnfield coach Pat Lamusta. “North Reading was in pretty good shape. They were a pretty impressive team this year.”
Despite the heavy loss, Lamusta used the game to give younger players some varsity experience. Lessons were learned Thursday and throughout the 3-8 season, according to Lamusta.
“Whenever you can get a chance to get young guys opportunities during an up-year, do it — it’s worth doing. In the push and pull of a season, it’s sometimes harder to train multiple guys for the same position,” Lamusta said. “If anything, if there are younger guys out there who are close, we try to find ways to get them opportunities earlier so they’re a little bit more seasoned for their junior years.”
Lamusta highlighted his senior class and praised its work ethic across the years.
“Matt Tracy, a senior captain, played quarterback, tight end, and defensive end for us. He was an important vocal leader. He and Ben Gazit, also a captain, both battled injuries throughout the season and regardless of the ups and downs, they just kept fighting.
“Luke DiSilvio, another senior captain, showed some spark for us throughout the season. On a lot of our big plays, he was the one able to make them pop. Dan Lemieux also made some great plays.
“First-year player Spencer Liu stepped up at the end of the season. He went from barely knowing the game of football to being a two-way starter. Tobin Ventolieri at outside linebacker, Alexander Morales, Will Mandile, and Kevin Keyes all played well for us. All of the seniors put in great efforts over the past four years and I’m proud of them for that.”
