Lunenburg’s Greg Abare reaches out for the first down of the game during action against Ayer-Shirley on Saturday Sept. 29.  Abare led the Knights in rushing with 140 yards on the day helping lead the Lunenburg to a 21-8 win.

By Michael James LeClair, Photos by Jefferey W. Boudreau

The Lunenburg football team ran all over the field Saturday afternoon and in the process ran its record back to the .500 mark.

    With Ayer-Shirley making the short trip to Lunenburg on Saturday afternoon the host Blue Knights rushing attack was in high gear. Lunenburg finished the contest with a pair of 100 yard rushers as it cruised to an easy 21-8 over the Panthers.

    The win improves Lunenburg to 2-2 overall on the 2012 campaign. The Knights have won their last two games after defeating host Clinton last Friday night. Lunenburg finished the game with 329 yards of total offense.

    “We've been preaching it, preaching it and preaching it that to run our offense you need to be physical,” said Knights Head Coach Steve Boone after Saturday’s win. "Our kids are starting to buy into it, and you get results. And I think because we're getting results, they're starting to buy into it."   

 
    The Knights run a wishbone-style offense, and in order to do so, must have plenty of bulk up front on the offensive line, not to mention a talented backfield and quarterback.

    On Saturday afternoon the Blue Knights had all of that. Using a quartet of players out of the backfield in Tom Wagner, Nathan Nash, Bobby Colgate and Cody Lanzilotti, Lunenburg found the end zone three times in the game. Wagner, a junior fullback led the offensive charge with 144 yards on 21 carries and a pair of touchdowns. Senior quarterback Greg Abare busted it out, rushing for 129 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown.

    “We did really well today. It all starts with our offensive line. They were pushing hard and creating some holes and I just ran through them,” said Wagner after the game. “I did the best I could to hit those holes and run hard. It was a great team win.”

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