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IPSWICH — There were only 51 seconds left in the first half the first time the North Reading football team got on the scoreboard at Jack Welch Stadium last night. But behind a dominant effort from the line and junior running back Carl Lipani, they made sure the points came much more frequently over the final 22 minutes of play. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Lipani rushed the ball 36 times for 231 yards and three touchdowns in the Hornets’ single wing offense as the visitors wore down Ipswich in a 32-14 triumph. “They owned the line of scrimmage both offensively and defensively — it was very impressive,” said Ipswich head coach Ted Flaherty. “Every play they run is a like a wedge, and it was tough to see that No. 44 (Lipani) behind those big linemen. He runs low to the ground, he’s patient and hits the hole extremely well.” The Tigers had drawn first blood when freshman quarterback Nick Andreas hooked up with Louis Galanis on a 55-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Galanis, a senior, made a spectacular outstretched catch and sailed into the end zone for a 6-0 lead. But by the time the home team scored again on Peter Moutevelis’ 82-yard kickoff return in the final stanza, North Reading had started to pull away. Lipani scored on runs of 5, 50 and 45 yards as North Reading (6-3) expanded on a 7-6 halftime edge by running the ball at will in the second half. Junior Michael Moscaritolo fell on a fumble in the end zone for another touchdown while captain Eric Valenti booted a 25-yard field goal. In all, the Hornets — who were minus three starters due to injury — rushed for 348 yards and secured themselves their first winning season in eight years. “We had to rely on some seniors who hadn’t seen much of the field this season, and they came up big,” said North Reading head coach Jeff Wall, whose team, which had just one victory a year ago, has now won six games in a season for the first time since 1999.

GEORGETOWN — Unable to cash in on a pair of long drives, Georgetown fell to Ipswich 26-6. Junior running back Tim Dillon rushed for 54 yards, while senior quarterback Tyler Wade passed for 84 yards to lead the Royals, who dropped to 1-6.
Ipswich Junior Peter Moutevelis led all rushers with 113 yards and two touchdowns.
Ipswich forced an early fumble on a blitz and Moutevelis pounced on the loose ball and took it 47 yards to the end zone.
Wade crashed in from the 1 to tie it up late in the first quarter.
The Royals were in sight of the go-ahead score but they had a drive stall at the 11 before turning it over on downs. Ipswich then embarked on a 10-minute drive for the go-ahead score. The drive included two fake punts.
Early in the third the hosts again had a long drive stall. This time at the 4.
“Nineteen times this year we’ve had the ball in our opponents 30 yard line or less and we’ve come away with no points,” said coach Paul Sobolewski, “That’s the sign of a young team, even if we get points on half of those possessions, we probably have a couple of more wins.”

Cody Rothwell, who transferred in from St. John’s Prep before the season, delivered his first big day in Pentucket green yesterday.

The junior rushed for 105 yards and one score and returned a kickoff for another score as the Sachems downed Ipswich 28-12.