Gloucester excelled at both last night at Newell Stadium, overwhelming Lynn English, 48-7, in a record-setting, pivotal Northeastern Conference Large showdown.

No. 6 Gloucester (8-0, 3-0) could clinch the NEC Large next week with a win over Revere.

Conor Ressel set a single-game rushing record for the Fishermen, garnering 257 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries, and the defense shut down an English offense that was averaging more than 34 points per game coming in.

“I was planning on throwing the ball more,’’ said Gloucester coach Paul Ingram. “But it seemed we were running the ball so effectively there was no need to.

“We played physical football, and a lot of teams don’t do that now. Our offense wears defenses down.’’

Ressel, the leading scorer in Division 1A with 19 touchdowns, carried the Fishermen to an early lead, shredding the Bulldog defense to the tune of 170 yards on the first three Gloucester drives, sandwiching two touchdown runs around a Jordan Shairs TD.

Ressel punctuated the first drive with a 29-yard run up the right sideline, breaking through a pair of would-be tacklers on his way to paydirt.

A 28-yard jaunt by Ressel set up Shairs’s 8-yard misdirection touchdown run, and on Gloucester’s next possession Ressel shined even brighter.

The 6-foot, 200-pound senior ran six times for 66 yards on the drive - highlighted by an ankle-breaking, 15-yard run, extending the score to 21-0.

“I really have to give it to the offensive line,’’ said Ressel. “They really stepped up and opened up holes, I just carried the ball.’’

The Fishermen did not let up. Brandon Cusumano scored on a 26-yard reverse with 1 1/2 minutes left. He gained a total of 90 yards throughout the game, including a 41-yard TD in the closing minutes of the third quarter.

Looking to finish off the Bulldogs (6-2), Ingram went with some trickery that wound up costing his team 7 points.

With just a little time left in the first half, Ressel took the pitch and stopped to throw it.

His attempt was intercepted by Travonne Berry-Rogers, and on the next play, Tyllor McDonald hit Melvin Taveres on a 31-yard touchdown pass, closing the gap to 28-7.

“I’m going to let [Brett] Cahill stick to quarterback,’’ said Ressel.

Gloucester added two fourth-quarter touchdowns, putting the finishing touches on an old-fashioned blowout.

On the same drive Ressel set the record, he also bowled into the end zone from 2 yards on his last carry of a memorable day.