When North Reading coach Jeff Wall studies the Lynnfield Pioneers, he sees similarities.”We’re very comparable, position by position, on paper,” Wall said. “We run the same (shotgun spread) offense, so it will be a mirror image.”The Hornets and Pioneers have made major strides. The teams run the same spread offense, and rely heavily on the leadership of their captains and coaches. With so many comparable aspects, the annual Turkey Day game at North Reading High School figures to be evenly matched.”They’re a little bigger than we are,” Lynnfield coach Bill Adams said. “But we have a chance to get into some spacing and move the ball a little.”Lynnfield (3-7, 2-2 Cape Ann Small) has already improved by two wins over its 2006 effort, when the Pioneers finished 1-10. Adams said the key has been their performance on the offensive side of the ball.”We’ve been able to keep the ball away from the other team and score some more points,” Adams said. “At the same time, that’s stopped them from scoring, too.”Sophomore quarterback Chris Grassi has directed the offense, throwing for 1,418 yards and 10 touchdowns. Grassi also leads the team in rushing, with 715 yards and seven scores.Grassi’s primary target has been senior receiver Jeff Millinazzo, who has caught 47 passes for 725 yards and 5 TDs”Grassi has been a dual threat, with his ability to run and pass,” Adams said. “The combination of Grassi to Millinazzo has worked real well for us.”Adams says that the success of his team starts with his captains: Millinazzo, Pat Lamusta and Nick Tropeano.”They’ve shown tremendous leadership on and off the field,” Adams said. “They have tremendous work ethics. They always have.”Lamusta is the team’s primary running back, rushing for 371 yards and three scores. He also led the team in tackles as a linebacker on defense.Tropeano helps anchor the defense at linebacker, and has two sacks.Like Lynnfield, North Reading (5-5, 1-3 Cape Ann Small) has improved this season, after a 3-8 finish in 2006. The team has remained competitive despite having a small team, with just 30 players on the roster.”We’ve had games where we’d dress 25 guys and the other team would have 80,” Wall said. “But the kids have really stepped it up.”The Hornets also have received contributions from their own senior captains: Brendan Lutz, Joshua Robinson, Joseph Burns, Michael Brooks, and John Mitton.”They’re the most dedicated, committed group I’ve ever had,” Wall said. “They’re leaders on the field and in the classroom. They really set the tone for the other kids.”On offense, the Hornets are led by junior running back Dino Rizzo, who has rushed for 10 touchdowns on the season. Robinson has chipped in as well, with 513 rushing yards and 3 scores.Defensively, Wall singled out senior linebacker Ryan Visconti as someone who has exceeded expectations for the team.”He barely saw the field in three years, and he was able to step right in,” Wall said. “He makes good reads, and he’s able to gain the advantage over bigger opponents.”With both programs on the rise, Wall said the match-up on Thanksgiving morning should be drastically different than last year’s 22-0 win by North Reading.