IPSWICH — What a heartbreaking loss for the Ipswich High football team.
The Tigers dominated every phase of the game — except on the scoreboard — in their return home to Jack Welch Stadium after four consecutive road games.
Two big plays by Lynnfield last night resulted in touchdowns, and a final fourth quarter drive by Ipswich ended abruptly at the Pioneer's 24-yard line when quarterback Louis Galanis spiked the ball, not realizing it was fourth down.
Lynnfield took over with 11 seconds left remaining and QB Michael Karavetsos took a knee to run out the clock in the Pioneers' 13-6 win.
"We had taken our last time out and I told the kids if we get a first down, we'll spike the ball," said Tigers head coach Ted Flaherty, his team now 1-5. "We had to run up to the line quickly, and it was so loud (Galanis) didn't hear us yelling not to (spike it). So that wasn't what cost us the game.
"We did a lot of great things for 91 percent of the time, but in the other nine we didn't keep our poise and respond the way we should have. Too many penalties hurt us, and we lost our focus at times."
In an attempt to score on their final possession, the Tigers marched from their own 26-yard line behind the running of Peter Moutevelis (17 carries for 115 yards), and Galanis completed a 22-yard pass to Chris McCormack for a first down at the Pioneer 33.
After Moutevelis ran for five more the Tigers had a 3rd-and-5 at the 28 when Galanis went back to pass, but couldn't find any receivers open. So he took off up the right sideline and was brought down in bounds at the 24. They then hurried up to the line but mistakenly spiked the ball to turn the ball over on downs, ending any thoughts of a thrilling comeback victory.
Galanis, who played QB as a freshman and a bit last year on the varsity, lined up under center last night after freshman Nick Andreas was injured last week against Newburyport and was unable to play.
"Nick was shaken up last week, but we expect to have him back in there soon," said Flaherty.
"Galanis did a good job with only three days practice, and quarterbacking a Wing-T offense is difficult. Louis is a good athlete, and we'll put in some different looks with him in there when Andreas returns."
Ipswich dominated play in the first half, but couldn't capitalize on some excellent opportunities and had to settle for a 6-0 lead at halftime. It drove 58 yards to get on the board in the first quarter when Derek Chamberlain leaped into the end zone from two yards out, but the point-after kick failed.
The Tigers held the Pioneers to just two first downs in that half and 56 total yards.
"Moutevelis ran hard, and our defense did a really nice job," Flaherty remarked. "We had a nice scheme going (defensively), too. Lynnfield does a great job with their running game; they trap and show you a lot of different looks; they make you work very hard to defend it. "
The visitors threatened late in the second quarter after Ipswich fumbled the ball away at its own 36, but the Ipswich defense held on 4th-and-1 at its own 16.
"We didn't play our best game, but it was because Ipswich was so well prepared," said Lynnfield (4-3) coach Neal Weidman. "It's tough for them not being rewarded when they played as well as they did. They were ready for this game and played very well."
The Pioneers, who switched from a 4-man to a 3-man defensive front in the second half, took the lead for good with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter when Karavetsos broke up the middle on a QB draw for a 30-yard touchdown. Alex Roper's kick gave Lynnfield a 7-6 lead.
The visitors added an insurance tally with 8:40 remaining on a 53-yard reception by Nicola Verano, who caught the pass at the 25-yard line and scampered up the right sideline.
"To us, this was a playoff game," said Flaherty of his team's first NEC/CAL Tier 4 league game. "Now we've got to run the table and hope somebody knocks (Lynnfield) off in order to win our division."
