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WORCESTER — Andover seniors Emma Farnham and Gabby Vaccaro were in the middle of a frantic, emotional mob of hugs at midfield of WPI’s Alumni Field.

They had both just exhausted themselves to help Andover beat Longmeadow, 2-0, in the Division 1 state championship game. And they both stood proudly with the rest of their Golden Warrior teammates as champions, capping off a brilliant 22-0-1 year.

How did this happen? How could this happen?

Did they ever think that this would happen?

A year ago, both Vaccaro (torn ACL) and Farnham (broken finger) missed significant time — in Vaccaro’s case the whole season — for an Andover team which was unexpectedly bounced in the Division 1 North quarterfinals. 

A season with such high hopes (Andover was 17-1-1 at the time) was abruptly dashed with two key cogs forced to watch from the sidelines.

But both returned healthy and hungrier than ever this fall, and Saturday afternoon at WPI they got a chance to hoist the Division 1 championship trophy high with the rest of their teammates.

“This is the best feeling in the world for me,” said Farnham, a UMass Amherst lacrosse recruit who is the daughter of Central Catholic Hall of Famer Glenn Farnham and cousin/niece to a slew of Andover legends. “It was so hard being on the sideline and watching my teammates go through that loss and there was nothing I could do about it.

“But to come back and to just win it with Gabby, who I know had a worse injury than I did, is just awesome. I’m just so happy for this team and so proud to be part of this program.”

Added Vaccaro: “I thought that this was going to be our year from the beginning, and for that to be so real now is amazing. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

“I knew I was going to come back this year and bring everything I’ve got.”

Medwar, Carzo score

Vaccaro and Farnham didn’t factor into the boxscore Saturday afternoon, but both played instrumental parts in the victory — as did everyone else for Andover.

A scoreless game at half, it was the work of Katherine Furry who drew the eventual corner that got Andover on the board.

The goal came from freshman sensation Hanna Medwar, who took a rebound off of a Kate Gregory shot and went top shelf to put the Golden Warriors ahead for good.

“It definitely felt really amazing seeing that goal go in,” said Vaccaro. “I felt like we had a good chance, but we had to keep the focus and intensity going.”

Longmeadow’s first loss

The tally came just five minutes into the second half. Longmeadow (now 19-1-2), which won the West sectional for the seventh straight year, had plenty of time to cage the equalizer.

But Andover kept the offensive pressure going, out-cornering Longmeadow 7-1 all game. The Warriors would get some cushion midway through half when Julia Carzo fired a shot wide, but it was accidentally deflected in by a Longmeadow defender.

From there, Andover’s defense cruised.

After winning its third state title in the last eight years (2010, 2011), Andover will be graduating a talented senior class.

But the Warriors began the year with a laser focus they maintained all year, and now they can say it was unparalleled to anyone else in Division 1.

“We wanted this so bad, and we work so well together. We’re such a family,” said Farnham. “We just wanted it more than ever. All our hard work paid off.”

Andover 2, Longmeadow 0

Division 1 State Final

Goals: Hanna Medwar, Julia Carzo

Assists: Kate Gregory

Saves: A — Julia Gordon 0; L — Gabrielle Acquista 6

Longmeadow (19-0-3): 0 0 — 0

Andover (22-0-1): 0 2 — 2

Defense dominates unbeaten Longmeadow

“I think the kids have been playing well defensively all year,” said Andover coach Maureen Noone. “They’re playing against the best forwards in practice. So I think they’re ready for anything, they just don’t get noticed in the games.”

They were noticed yesterday.

A group effort led by Anna Vrountas, Carissa Agostino, Anna Zdunczyk, Jordan Torres and Kate Gregory kept Longmeadow without a shot on goalie Julia Gordon. The Lancers had a couple of scoring opportunities, but their shots went wide.

It was Andover’s 15th shutout of the season. And against a team which had scored 12 goals in its three tourney wins prior to yesterday.

You want incredible? Andover’s defense allowed a grand total of one — yes, one — total shot on goal combined in the state semifinal and state final.

The lone blemish for Andover (22-0-1) was a 2-2 tie against Central Catholic on Oct. 2.

 

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MEDWAR A REVELATION FOR ANDOVER WORCESTER — With a laundry list of difference-makers Andover was returning, freshman Hanna Medwar was an afterthought.

No one, maybe not even Medwar herself, could have imagined she would perhaps be the Golden Warriors’ most influential player this season.

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