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LYNNFIELD — It’s been a year filled with more downs than ups for North Reading.

After an impressive 3-0 start to the season, the Hornets dropped six of seven heading into yesterday’s Thanksgiving showdown at Lynnfield. In spite of the fact that the visitors had won the past three meetings by a wide margin (85-18), Lynnfield routed the now 4-7 Hornets, 21-0.

North Reading opened the season with just 18 players, but still managed to shock perennial Cape Ann League large power Pentucket on opening day. That kicked off a season-opening three-game winning streak.

North Reading star Darren Hartwell has scored a touchdown five different ways; passing, rushing, receiving, return a punt and returning a kickoff.

GEORGETOWN — With the opportunity to play for a league title on the table, Georgetown would not be stopped.

Joe Esposito ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more in the first half alone as the Royals downed league rival North Reading 35-6 yesterday afternoon on their very muddy home field.

NEWBURYPORT — The road to redemption continued for Newburyport, which after starting the season 0-5, has won its last four games.

Last night the Clippers overwhelmed North Reading, 21-0.

NEWBURYPORT — The road to redemption continued for Newburyport, which after starting the season 0-5, has won its last four games.

Last night the Clippers overwhelmed North Reading, 21-0.

NORTH READING — We’ve always known Dino Rizzo was versatile, but the full extent of that versatility has only recently been on display.

Heading into yesterday’s game, Rizzo had amassed 282 rushing yards on 51 carries in six games. He’s also one of the most feared linebackers in CAL Small.

NORTH READING — In what Hamilton-Wenham coach Andrew Morency called "a game of two halves," North Reading fell on the short end of a physical 15-7 Cape Ann League battle.

"They really had control of the game in the first half, but I thought we took over in the second half," said Morency, whose club improved to 4-2.

North Reading — After starting the year with three straight wins, North Reading dropped its second game in a row Saturday 33-6 against a strong Triton Regional squad.

NORTH READING — After starting the year with three straight wins, North Reading dropped its second straight game, 33-6 against Triton.
For the second week in a row, the Hornets (3-2) were unable to stop the run as Triton (3-2) pounded out 191 rushing yards and scored all five of its touchdowns on the ground.
Triton opened the game with a 76-yard drive, ending with a 4-yard plunge into the end zone by quarterback Sam Ferrara.
North Reading looked to answer with a score of its own, driving down to Triton’s 4-yard line before quarterback Dylan Desrosiers (3 for 7, 23 yards) missed his receiver and was intercepted for a touchback.
The teams traded possessions before Triton again struck with another short touchdown run, going into halftime with a 12-0 lead.
North Reading coach Jeff Wall looked to mix things up a bit in the second half, putting  running back Dino Rizzo into the shotgun as a quarterback.
“They had our passes covered up pretty well so we wanted to spread them out a bit to get Rizzo some running room,” explain Wall. “He is our best runner so if we could spread them out a little bit we could run him up the middle from the quarterback.”
But Rizzo had some trouble handling the shotgun snap, fumbling twice in the second half.
Triton put the game away when the ensuing kickoff was fumbled and recovered by the Viking leading to another touchdown.
A late touchdown pass on a trick play from wide receiver Darren Hartwell to Robert Rosano gave the Hornets their only points of the day.
“We did not have a good week of practice and the coaching staff was concerned about that coming into today,” said Wall. “We only have 19 kids dressed with a few starters out with injuries so we cannot just show up and play and expect to win.”