Mortellite sets mark for career TD passes

Published in the October 18, 2017 edition

QUARTERBACK Matt Mortellite (7) picks ups three yards in the third quarter. The senior ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more, setting a new record for career TD passes with 32. (Tom Condardo Photo)

By TOM CONDARDO

IPSWICH — Friday the 13th turned out to be bad luck for the defenses in Ipswich last week, as the Pioneers and Tigers exploded for a combined 825 yards of offense, 32 first downs, 83 points, and 12 touchdowns. When the smoke had cleared, the undefeated Pioneers (3-0 CAL Baker, 6-0 overall) escaped the physical battle with their sixth straight win. The victory sets up a home showdown with undefeated Hamilton-Wenham next Friday night. A Pioneer win clinches their sixth straight CAL league championship and the top playoff spot in Division 5.

The final margin is misleading as an inspired Ipswich team battled the Pioneers evenly for most of the night. The two teams took turns burning up the new turf at Jack Welch Stadium with the lead changing hands five times in a wild first half. The Pioneers trailed 29-20 late in the second quarter but scored late in the half to start a 34-point run to seal their 28th straight league win and 11th consecutive victory over Ipswich (3-3).

“We get everyone’s best shot and everyone gets fired up to play us,” said Weidman. “Obviously getting the ball to start the second half and going down and scoring was something that we definitely needed.”

Offensive fireworks

The Pioneers piled up 462 yards of offense and scored on all eight of their possessions while Ipswich reached the end zone on four of their first six possessions. The Pioneer defense finally shut out the Tigers’ potent throwback veer offense in the second half.

“We knew the veer was tough to stop,” said Weidman. “You don’t see it much and they’re good at running it. It’s assignment football and we were tentative because assignments change depending on the formation. We were catching a lot of blocks and ball carriers and not being aggressive. You can’t play that way.”

Lynnfield’s 54 points was the most scored by the Pioneers since a 55-0 pasting of Masco in 1985. It was only the seventh time the Pioneers have cracked 50 points and only the second time they reached the mark since 1960. The 83 total points were the most ever scored in a Lynnfield game.

Quarterback Matt Mortellite threw two more touchdown passes giving him 11 on the season and 32 for his career, breaking the record of 30 set by Gino Cohee from 2007-2010.

The win may have come at a hefty price as two Pioneer starters were banged up in the contest. Middle linebacker captain Cooper Marengi, the heart and soul of the defense suffered a lower leg injury and lineman E. J. Umlah also left the game with an injury.

Ndansi leads the way

Ipswich scored on their opening drive to take a 7-0 lead. Captain Anthony Murphy (12 carries, 71 yards, 2 TD’s) powered in from the eight to cut it to 7-6. The Pioneers took the lead after Peter Look recovered a Tiger fumble at the Ipswich 36. Captain Nick Kinnon rocketed to the one on a jet sweep and Tyler Murphy burrowed in for the score. Mortellite hit Jason Ndansi for the two and Lynnfield led 14-7.

Ipswich went up 15-14 on a 72-yard march. The Pioneers answered with another Mortellite to Ndansi hookup, this one good for 45 yards to put Lynnfield up 20-15. Ndansi was immense on the night catching 6 passes for 129 yards, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. He also picked off his fourth interception of the year.

Ipswich roared back to take a 23-20 lead on a four-yard TD run and two point conversion by quarterback Ben Yanakakis. They quickly stretched the lead when the Pioneers fell asleep on a pop up kickoff and the Tigers recovered. They converted the miscue into points on the Tigers’ only completed pass of the night, a 28-yard pass from Yanakakis to Alex Bruhm to put Ipswich up 29-20.

The Pioneers responded when Mortellite found Ndansi again, this time on a 35-yard TD connection. Marengi added the PAT and Lynnfield trailed 29-27 at the end of a furious first half.

Second half comeback

“I told them they are not always going to be ahead,” Weidman responded when asked what he said to his somewhat frazzled team at the break. “You’re down by two points and you guys are acting like we’re getting beat by 50. I told them to just go out and compete. That’s what we’re here for.”

The pep talk worked as the Pioneers roared out of the locker room to take control. Mortellite capped the opening second half drive with a one yard plunge and found Kinnon for the two to take a 35-29 lead. Ndansi’s pick got them the ball right back and Mortellite capitalized on a ten-yard run to make it 41-29. A Pioneer defensive stop at their own 20, led to a game-sealing 80-yard drive capped by an Anthony Murphy ten yard run to make it 47-29. Junior Brett Cohee added a 13-yard TD in the final minute to account for the 54-29 final.

“It’s good for us to be in a dogfight,” Weidman said. “To go out and compete against a team that’s been playing well.”

This Week: Hamilton-Wenham

The Pioneers will face their stiffest test Friday night when the undefeated Hamilton-Wenham Generals come to town.

“They’re very, very good,” said Weidman. “They have tons of good players and they’re well coached. We’re going to have to play well.”

The Pioneers and Generals have monopolized the CAL small division for the past eight years with Lynnfield winning in 2009, 2012-2016, and H-W winning it in 2010 and 2011. If the Pioneers win Friday night, it will be the ninth straight year one of these teams takes home the championship. Game time at Pioneer Stadium is 7 p.m.