RallyNorth.net

Georgetown defense does the job

Saturday, September, 20 By Conor Clancy
Correspondent

LYNNFIELD — With a dominating defensive performance and the legs of quarterback Joe Esposito leading the way, the Georgetown Royals beat up on a lackluster Lynnfield squad 14-0 yesterday afternoon on the Pioneers home field.

The senior tri-captain Esposito ran for 162 yards and scores of 70 and 2 yards, bringing his season total to six touchdowns in only two games.

The win propelled the Royals to a 2-0 record, including their first division win as a member of the Cape Anne League Small. Lynnfield fell to 0-1 in the division and 1-2 overall.

“We just wanted to start off on the right foot; the important thing is to do the right thing and start right,” said Georgetown coach Matt Bouchard.  

After an explosion of offense last week in a 41-6 romping of Matignon, Georgetown relied heavily on its defense to keep it in the game while the offense found its groove. The Royal defense all but shut down the Lynnfield offense in the second half, punishing Pioneer runners every time they touched the ball and pushing them back for negative six yards rushing and only 52 combined yards on the day.

Even when the Pioneers passed, they did not find much better results as defensive end Matt Kumph and middle linebacker Chris Esposito led a fury of defenders on the attack of Lynnfield quarterback Chris Grassi (8 for 18, 81 yards 1 int). Kumph finished the game with three sacks and two tackles for loss while Chris Esposito cleaned up with eight tackles and one interception.

“We pride ourselves in our defense, it was a big game for our unit,” said Chris Esposito. “Coach worked hard to prep us all week and put us in the right spots. We just had to execute.”

“Put the shutout in the books,” Chris’s brother Joe added, “He [Matt Kumph] was a big man today.”

The game was a tight battle throughout, and the difference was Joe Esposito and his ability to get into the end zone, something that Lynnfield simply could not do. After a fourth-down stop in the first quarter on its own 15-yard line, Esposito broke a scoreless tie, racing through the middle of Lynnfield’s defense on his way to a 70-yard touchdown run with 9:13 left in the first half.

The second half saw Esposito (who was also 6 for 17 for 88 yards passing) lead his team on an 11-play, 65-yard drive which he himself ended, plunging two yards into the end zone with 3:14 left in the third quarter. His PAT made it 14-0.

Lynnfield threatened only once, driving to the 8-yard-line, but Kumph nailed his third sack of the day to end the drive.

“[Defense] is what makes us successful,” Bouchard added. “That’s why we were successful last year as well, defense and kicking.”