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ANDOVER — Whittier Tech needed  two modes of transportation, but it reached its destination yesterday morning.

The Wildcats went through the air with quarterback Dillon Ryan and used “The Bus,”  burly running back Nate Allen, to survive a gritty effort from Greater Lawrence on their way to a 28-18 Thanksgiving victory before about 800 fans at Louis E. Gleason Field.

LYNN — On a night Joe Pizzuto added his name to a very elite group of running backs, Greater Lawrence was knocked out of the Commonwealth Conference Large title hunt.

Despite receiving 274 rushing yards from Pizzuto, the Reggies were unable to overcome several big plays by Lynn, which took a 28-18 victory last night. Pizzuto, who had 47 carriers, became the third area player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, finishing the game with 2,011, since the Eagle-Tribune began compiling complete records in 1994. The diminutive Pizzuto, however remains far from the school record of 2,647 set by Nate Adames in 2007. Londonderry's Alex Theodhosi ran for 2,041 in 2007.

BILLERICA — Despite a 2-6 record, Shawsheen has been rolling up over 20 points per game behind standout tailback Cory Foss. Greater Lawrence Tech is cooking due to tailback Joe Pizzuto’s 1,600 yards and 21 touchdowns.

 JAMACA PLAINS — Another game, another big performance for Joe Pizzuto.

 The Greater Lawrence running back rushed for three touchdowns in the first quarter, as the Reggies jumped out quickly and rolled to a 28-6 victory over West Roxbury.

ANDOVER — On a day the game officials showed up an hour late, it took Greater Lawrence Regional another quarter and a half to shake off the cold and get to work itself.

Even with the late start though, Joe Pizzuto had more than enough time to power the Reggies to a 27-8 victory in a non-conference game yesterday. The junior tailback, who ran for an area record 396 yards two weeks earlier, had all but four of the team's 30rushing attempts, finishing with 163 yards and all four Greater Lawrence touchdowns.

ANDOVER — After rushing for 396 yards in one game, you can be sure people will wonder what a running back does for an encore. And while Joe Pizzuto didn't come close to matching his area record of a week earlier, the junior still managed a game most backs would give body parts for.

ANDOVER — North Shore knew that Joe Pizzuto was going to get the ball a lot. Greater Lawrence Tech’s offensive line made Pizzuto virtually impossible to touch. Getting the ball on 87-percent of the Reggies’ plays, the 150-pound junior had a record-breaking day with 396 yards rushing and five touchdowns in a 36-28 slugfest victory yesterday at Gleason Field. The effort topped the school record set by 1995 graduate and two-time Eastern Mass. Division 5 scoring champ Ray Marshall of 376 yards, according to head coach Tony Sarkis. Also, Pizzuto easily topped the Eagle-Tribune’s best-ever game since records were kept starting in 1998 (Derek Furey of Timberlane, 340 yards last season). “Like I’ve been saying all year, we have the best line in the (Commonwealth Conference),” Pizzuto said. “They’re nice to run behind.” Greater Lawrence’s system was simple and effective: 211-pound senior center Randall Gigliotti and 260-pound right guard Miguel Baez blew open holes at the point of attack, and 260-pound senior left guard Juan Olivo (who also contributed an interception defensively) roamed far downfield to shield the ball carrier from the secondary. Simply put, the Reggies beat up the Bulldogs, sending starting linebacker Ben Huntley (ankle) to the bench, slowing down middle linebacker Juan Juan (leg) and generally taking the steam out of the entire defense. As a result, Pizzuto got 225 of his yards in the final 22 minutes of play. “Our line is so big, we knew we were going to come at them,” Sarkis said. “The physical game really helped us at the end.” After trailing 14-7 at halftime, Gr. Lawrence scored on its first three possessions of the second half to take charge at 29-14 with 2:10 left in the third quarter. However, North Shore was able to hover close due to the efforts of strong-arm quarterback David St. Pierre (22 of 44, 378 yards, 4 TDs) and receiver Jordan Smith (13 catches, 268 yards, 3 TDs). Their 80-yard hookup right after Pizzuto’s fourth touchdown kept the game within reach at 29-22. But Gr. Lawrence locked up the victory on a gutsy fourth-down call from its own 38-yard line with 6:28 left to play. Needing two yards, Pizzuto ran a stretch play to the right, followed Olivo down the sideline and didn’t stop until he reached the end zone. “We just crashed the line down inside and got Juan out in space,” Sarkis said of the game-clinching play. “(Line coach and offensive coordinator) Danny Thompson did a fine job (yesterday).” “That was the play after the injury (to Huntley),” said Bulldog head coach Paul Worth. “That was a killer play.” And after 2 3/4 hours of two-way football, Pizzuto almost seemed ready for more. “I feel good, I feel good,” he said. “I have so much confidence in all my teammates. I want us to win every single game and go to the Super Bowl.”

No Ordinary Joe Complete Eagle-Tribune single-game rushing records go back through the 1998 season, in that span no local back has equalled Joe Pizzuto’s performance yesterday. Yards%Player%Team%Year 396%Joe Pizzuto%Gr. Lawrence%2009 340%Derek Furey%Timberlane%2008 340%Alex Theodhosi%Londonderry%2007 337%Nate Adames%Gr. Lawrence Tech%2007 332%Theodhosi%Londonderry%2007 331%Zac Iovanella%North Andover%2007 331%Max Jacques%Salem%2009

TYNGSBORO – Mud, rain – the Greater Lowell defense – none of those things could slow down Greater Lawrence halfback Joseph Pizzuto on Saturday afternoon as he recorded his second straight 200-plus yard rushing game and led the Reggie’s to a 20-6 victory over the Gryphons.

Pizzuto was the Greater Lawrence offense, rushing for 202 yards and all three Reggie scores on just 25 carries.

The performance, during which the 5’5” Pizzuto showcased more than just his quick feet but also his seemingly inexhaustible stamina – at one point Greater Lawrence called 10 straight Pizzuto handoffs – increased his average yards per carry to 6.7 on the season.

It’s a number that left Reggie head coach Tony Sarkis at a loss for words.

“What can you say, the numbers speak for themselves,” Sarkis said. “The kid is just a hard worker, and all the offseason work that he did is paying off now.”

Pizzuto wasted no time putting his team on the board Sautrday, firing off a 31-yard burner for a touchdown on the Reggie’s first play from scrimmage.

His second score came midway through the second quarter on a 16-yard sprint to the outside that ended with a diving Pizzuto just clipping the pylon with the ball while being pushed out by multiple Gryphon defenders. The play capped off a 7-play, 55-yard Reggie drive that featured nothing but Pizzuto handoffs.

His third and final score came a quarter later when he broke an up the gut rush through the Gryphon d-line and into the open field, going 28-yards for the score.

“My line does it all,” Pizzuto said when asked about his marquee day. “My line and my fullback, they do it all, after I get past them I’m just doing my job.”

But it wasn’t just the Reggie offensive line that was working overtime Saturday, as their defensive counterparts held Greater Lowell halfbacks to just 37-yards rushing on 20 carries.

“Our defense is a very strong group,” Sarkis said. “Our front five play tough, our linebackers play tough, and out cornerbacks play tough. It’s when we break down mentally that’s when we give teams a chance to get into the game.”

Sarkis cited Lowell’s lone score, which came on a 2-yard run by halfback Chris Puzzo in the second quarter, as just such a mental breakdown, as the 24-yard drive which set up the score was greatly aided by a pass interference call against the Reggies on a Lowell third-and-eleven.

That lone 24-yard scoring drive aside, however, the Reggies’ defense only allowed 48 more yards of total offense all game.

Sarkis said it’s exactly that kind of play that could take his team deep into the postseason if it continues.

“There is no limit for this team, and that’s what I want them to realize,” said Sarkis. “So if we take care of our business, hopefully it comes down to the end of the year and things happen. We can’t control what other teams do, but the potential for this team is unlimited.”

 PEABODY — Greater Lawrence failed to hold on to a 13-0 halftime lead ,and a 20-13 lead with just two minutes to play, and fell to Manchester Essex 26-20 in overtime.

Trailing 13-7, Manchester tied the score at 13 when quarterback Alex Carr hit Brian Ciccone for a 76-yard score. Greater Lawrence, however, took the lead on the ensuing kickoff when Anthony Ocasio went 76 yards for the TD.

SOUTH BOSTON —  Greater Lawrence coach Tony Sarkis joked that Reggies running back Joseph Pizzuto stands at 5-foot-5 — only when wearing high heels.

But, at just 5-foot-5 and 150 pounds, what he lacks in size he made up for in quickness last night.