Sports
Season Recap: Tourney Spot Still Elusive for Boys Basketball
The Lynnfield High boys basketball team has missed the playoffs for the last two seasons despite finishing strong in 2010-2011
It's now been a full two seasons since the Lynnfield High boys basketball team has seen action in the MIAA tournament. In 2008 the Pioneers made it as far as the quarterfinals and in 2009 they were beat in the semifinals. Despite a strong finish to the 2010-2011 season, the Lynnfield boys again missed a shot in the Div. 4 North sectional.
The Lynnfield season started off ominously with a at home followed by another home loss to North Reading, this time by a .
The Pioneers finally notched their first win of the season with a thanks to the strong play of juniors Nico Varano with 19 points and BJ Neil with 15 points.
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But Lynnfield couldn't build off of that win, and. Junior forward Carmine Dicesare led Lynnfield with 19 points, but it wasn't enough to hold off Georgetown down the stretch.
The Pioneers evened their record at 3-3 with back-to-back wins over Matignon and Pope John, but dropped to 3-5 after a blowout loss to Machester Essex and a . A Stephen Carangelo three pointer with eight seconds remaining would have won the game for Lynnfield, but the shot rattled around the rim and fell to the floor to end the game.
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Lynnfield rebounded strong from the loss and beat Pope John once again, this time the Pioneers . Despite the decisive win, Lynnfield once again failed to capitalize in its next game and lost another heartbreaker, this time .
After a 79-51 win over Matignon, things took a bad turn for the Pioneers from there as Lynnfield went on a five-game losing streak that uncluded losses to , Masconomet, , Wilmington and another .
With just two games left on the season, the Pioneers went out in style, beating Ipswich, 60-46, and then avenging an early season loss to North Reading with a satisfying, 60-56, win.
Lynnfield will be losing some key scorers in senior captains Connor Dario, Joe Sartorelli and Patrick Yee. But with a talented corps of youngsters returning for next season, including BJ Neil, Carmine Dicesare, Nico Varano and Stephen Carangelo, a place in the MIAA tournament is definitely within reach.
