The Lynnfield boys basketball team was too much for Pentucket, defeating the Panthers 68-46. Two Pioneers registered double-doubles with Alex Fleming (18 points, 12 rebounds) and Madux Iovinelli (12 points, 12 rebounds) leading the way for Lynnfield. Harris Hadzihasanovic added 10 points to help Lynnfield pick up a road victory. The win made it 8-3 on the year for the Pioneers.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Shawsheen Valley Tech 58
Lynnfield 40
Despite 10 points from Alex Fleming and another eight from Madux Iovinelli, host Lynnfield fell short and dipped to 8-4.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Pentucket 35
Lynnfield 23
Two bad quarters proved to be the kiss of death for the Pioneers’ girls basketball team Friday night, which dropped a 35-23 decision to perennial powerhouse Pentucket at home.
“We had a great game tonight but couldn’t come away with the victory,” head coach Sue Breen said. “Needless to say it was a defensive battle.
The Pioneers led 9-7 after the first quarter, but went cold in the second to trail 17-11 at the half. The Pioneers cut the deficit to just three, 17-11 midway through the third quarter, but Pentucket ramped up its game at both ends of the court, closing the quarter with a 7-1 run to lead by nine, 24-15 with eight minutes to go and held on in the fourth to seal the win.
“I’m really proud of the team for how they competed and kept their composure,” Breen said. “It was a great effort against a tough team. We hope for better luck in the next game.
The loss dropped the Pioneers to 4-8 overall and 3-6 in the Cape Ann League.
Lynnfield’s next game is Friday at archrival North Reading at 6:30 p.m.
Breen praised freshman Chloe Grieves for her “great contributions” which included seven points and a game-high 18 rebounds. Sophomore Hayden Valinton Hayden Valiton scored a team-high eight points. Older sister Taylor Valiton, a senior captain, scored six points and pulled down 10 rebounds.
Breen said senior captain Erika Pasquale (2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks) “played good defense.”
With seven games remaining in the regular season, the Pioneers need to find a way to close out the close ones if they are to make the Division 3 state tournament. As of Jan. 28, the team was ranked No. 42 in the power rankings. The top 33 teams qualify for the tournament.
BOYS HOCKEY
St. John’s Prep 4
Malden Catholic 0
Gavin Anderson scored a power-play goal in the first period and it was all uphill from there for The Prep, which improved to 7-4. Also finding the back of the net were Mason Luciano, Christian Coleman, and Brandon Ward.
Lynnfield 3
Pentucket 2
Owen Considine, Lucas Deraps, and Anthony Calla (GWG) all scored in Lynnfield’s narrow win on enemy ice.
GIRLS HOCKEY
PLNR 6
Medford 0
LoConte Memorial Ice Rink in Medford saw six goals, but none from the home team. PLNR took care of business behind goals from Shirley Whitmore (2), Chloe Gromko, Alexa Pepper, Grace Allen, and Mia Lava.
PLNR 3
Beverly 0
Captain Mia Lava led by example in this one, scoring two goals to lead visiting PLNR over Beverly. Chloe Gromko tucked the first goal of the game, while Maura Flaws and Sydney Zizza also played well, according to coach Michelle Roach.
WRESTLING
The Black and Gold closed in on the 20-win mark with two more dual meet wins last week to improve to 19-3-1.
On Saturday, LNR finished 2-1 at the Wayland quad. Wayland came into the meet undefeated at 14-0 and proved why, topping Lynnfield, 48-21.
“Wayland will be the top Division 3 Central team at the sectional tournament,” LNR head coach Craig Stone said. “We had our chances in five of the 10 individual matches we lost so the team match was closer than the score indicates.”
LNR salvaged the day, leading from start to finish, with a 46-25 win against Plymouth North and a 70-6 thrashing of Worcester Tech that featured 11 wins in the 12 matches that wrestled.
Jack Cuddy (175) had an impressive day, winning two matches in a combined 43 seconds on the mat.
James Fodera (190) also had a good day, finishing with two wins by technical falls, 20-2 against Plymouth North and 17-1 against Wayland in a rematch of December Lisitano Wakefield tournament final and also picked up a win by forfeit.
Nathan Barstow (113) and Zack Morse (215) finished with two pin wins each, with Barstow also picking up a forfeit win.
Zach Inafuku (106) won his match against Worcester Tech (1:40 pin) and also picked up a forfeit win. Jakob Hulett (120) won his match against Plymouth North in a technical fall (17-0).
Kouyoumdjian (126) and David Glynn (157) rounded out the Wayland winners, the former in an 18-8 major decision to an opponent he lost to at the Lisitano tournament and the latter in a 1:04 pin. Glynn also had two wins by forfeit.
Inafuku (106, 1:40) and Dylan Matthews (285, 2:29) had wins against Worcester Tech and also picked up one forfeit win each against Plymouth North.
Cam Arya (165, 15-0 technical fall), Isaac Medford (138, 2:17 pin) and Griffin McCarthy (150, 3:13 pin) also had wins against Worcester Tech.
“I was pleased with the way we bounced back after the Wakefield loss (see below),” Stone said. “There was a noticeable improvement in physical and mental toughness. As we move toward the end of the season those variables can make the difference at tournament time.”
Wakefield 49
Lynnfield 18
On January 22 at home, the Warriors crossed the town line into enemy territory and snapped the Black and Gold’s 15-match win streak on Senior Night. Manager Kacie Lilley and wrestlers Abdel Abdalla, Isaac Medford, captain Cam Arya and captain James Fodera and their parents were recognized prior to the match.
“Wakefield is a solid dual meet team from top to bottom,” Stone said. “They have a good shot at winning Division 3 North as well as Division 3 States. With one-third of the season left, we will look at this as further motivation for the rematches that we will have at both the sectional and state level.”
Glynn (157) was one of four LNR winners. He defeated a returning sectional and state place finisher in a 13-10 decision. Barstow (113) wasted no time in his match with a 54-second pin win. Fodera (190) also won a first-period pin, defeating his opponent in 1:53 and Jason Kouyoumdjian (126) pulled out a narrow 15-12 decision.
LNR’s next match is Saturday at Triton at the CAL/NEC Open championship (9).
TRACK AND FIELD
Ipswich 66
Lynnfield 34
While the boys team came from behind to beat Ipswich 53-47 in the closest meet of the season to stay undefeated at 3-0, the girls fell for the first time, losing to a powerful Tigers team 66-34 to fall to 2-1.
The meet sets up a showdown for the league title Jan. 28 against Amesbury, which is also undefeated at 3-0 (results too late to print).
“Next week is for all the marbles,” head coach Christine Smith said.
Both meets were held on Jan. 21 at The Track at New Balance.
The boys team trailed 29-24 heading into the field events, but rallied to win all five events, then Jesse Dorman, Brendan Reilly, Dylan Reilly and Charlie Morgan clinched the meet with a win in the 4×200 relay (1:37.)
Shea McCarthy and Eli Mendese were double winners. while McCarthy won the mile (5:06) and 2-mile (10:41.77). Mendese won the shot put (39-11.05) and long jump (19-11) and also placed third in the 55 hurdles (8.76). Brendan Reilly won the 300 (38.11), leading a sweep with Dorman (39.0) and Morgan (40.0) and also placed third in the 55 dash (7.05). Michael Murphy won the high jump (5-08).
On the girls side, Abby Lopez won two individual events; she won the mile (5:56.55) and 2-mile (13-03.25). Allison Maddocks won the long jump (13-05.5) and Clara Caulfield won the high jump (4-08). Maddocks also placed third in the high jump (4-06). Caitlin Buoniconti turned in second-place finishes in both the 1000 (3:40.15) and 2-mile (15:57.42). Kaila George also placed in two events, finishing third in the 1000 (3:59) and shot put (13-01).
Caulfield, (30.3), Emma Greenleaf 28.6), Sofia Giardina (30.5) and Lily Rocco (29.7) finished second in the 4×200 relay (1:59.3).
The following Pioneers also contributed points with third-place finishes: Greenleaf in the 55 hurdles (10.36), Rocco in the 55 dash (8:18), Giardina in the 300 (47.67), Lauren Mattia in the 600 (1:55.82) and Elliana Moretti in the shot put (22-02.5).
Other boys contributing points in the boys meet with third-place finishes were Nick Groussis in the 55 hurdles (8.66), Ben Clancy in the 1000 (3:11), Ritvik Mahajan in the 2-mile (11:00), Walter Radulski in the shot put (38-01) and Dillon Reilly in the high jump (5-06).
Both teams are back in action Feb. 4 at the Cape Ann League Open at New Balance.