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Greater Lawrence can’t finish the deal

Sunday, October, 19 By Steve Palladino
Staff writer

WEST ANDOVER — Wadscar Gomez jumpstarted the Greater Lawrence offense. But for the Reggies, the problem wasn’t the start, but the finish.

Four times Greater Lawrence marched with ease into North Shore territory and four times they came away with nothing to show during a 7-2 loss to the Bulldogs yesterday afternoon.

“It is a team effort and we didn’t execute as a team today,” said Gomez, who rushed for 130 yards and was involved in 26 of Greater Lawrence’s 40 offensive snaps. “Every time we got close, we shot ourselves in the foot.”

Greater Lawrence (1-5) had its best chance late in the fourth quarter. The Reggies advanced to the 12 on a 14-play march.

On fourth-and-nine, quarterback Juan Carlos Gomez hit his brother Wadscar on a swing pass that was stopped three yards short of the first down.

“They squeezed in on us whenever we got  close,” said Tony Sarkis, coach of the defending Eastern Mass. Division 3A Super Bowl champs. “We are a young team and whenever we got close, we stalled. I think they get tense as they get close. But every week they are getting better.”

That turnover on downs was the second of the day for Greater Lawrence. In the first half, the Reggies failed to convert on fourth down at the North Shore 27.

With just under two minutes to play in the game, Greater Lawrence stopped North Shore deep in its own territory. The Bulldogs elected to take the safety and kick off. Greater Lawrence took over at its own 36 but a fumble with 1:03 to play squelched that opportunity.

Greater Lawrence had six possessions for the day, two were surrendered on turnovers and twice they punted the ball away.

North Shore (5-1) scored the game’s lone touchdown when receiver Jessie Wilkins made a one-handed catch at the goal line, with eight seconds remaining.

While the Greater Lawrence offense struggled again (the Reggies have scored seven points or fewer three times this fall), the defense was stingy and opportunistic. They stopped the Bulldogs on two trips inside the red zone and once at the Greater Lawrence 29.

Talented 6-1, 260-pound senior Juan Olivo registered a pair of sacks and Eric Notenboom pressured North Shore QB David St. Pierre all day.

The Reggies will look to get on track next Saturday with a noon home game vs. West Roxbury.