LYNN — When Lynn English coach Tyllor McDonald took the reins of his alma mater this season, he felt success could come quickly. Not even in his wildest dreams did he envision what would happen in 2024.

On Thursday at Manning Field, the 7-4 Bulldogs completed a turnaround season that included a playoff berth as Jaiden Rosario completed 17 of 20 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns to lead English to a 28-6 win in their 111th meeting with rival Lynn Classical (3-7).

“What Jaiden did today, he’s done all season,” said McDonald, who was a standout quarterback at Lynn English as well. “He just took over. He’s a leader. One of our best leaders and (Thursday) it showed.”

Rosario completed passes to four different receivers and all three of his TD passes went to different weapons. Tailback Xavier Beauchamp added 86 yards and a score as English outgained the Rams 358-199 in a driving rain.

The game had even more meaning for McDonald as the opposing coach was his cousin, Brian Vaughan, a former Lynn English standout in his own right.

“It was awesome. I mean, going against my cousin, a guy that’s like a father figure to me, and has been in my life consistently since I was 12,” McDonald said. “Just to share the fall with him is a blessing.”

After an early trade of punts, English broke on top late in the first quarter. Beauchamp rushed for 40 of 67 yards during a 10-play drive before Rosario dropped a dime on the Rams with a perfectly thrown 16-yard TD to Zamari Omosele and a 6-0 lead.

Classical’s response? A drive that would keep the English offense off the field for the next 13:49 of game time.

Javon Claiborne (17-74) and Tyren Houen (20-47) took turns carrying on a 21-play, 86-yard drive that saw Classical convert four third downs and two fourth downs. Hoeun’s one-yard plunge with 1:12 left tied the game at six.

The game stayed tied for only 52 seconds as English ran the two-minute drill to perfection. Rosario hit five of seven throws, the last a 26-yard TD on a busted coverage to Jordan Em (six catches, 60 yards) to give English a 14-6 lead at the break.

Classical got the ball to begin the third and moved to the English 20 before Em picked off a Claiborne pass on first down in the end zone.

The Bulldogs needed just a little over two minutes to convert off the takeaway. Limbert Thomas’ one-handed catch and run for 51 yards got English in position. Beauchamp did the rest as he raced 34 yards with 3:09 left in the third to make it 20-6.

Classical turned it over on downs at midfield on the next possession, setting up English for the knockout punch.

A 29-yard pass on fourth and three to Shane Knowlton-Simard got English into the red zone. Thomas then took a jet sweep pass 16 yards for a score on the next play for a 22-point lead with 9:07 to go.

The English defense did the rest, stopping Classical on its last two possessions to close out the statement win.

“I’m super proud of this team,” McDonald said. “I’m a young coach so it was easy to connect with the kids. I’m just hip with everything they do.”