RallyNorth.net

North Andover rallies for first win over Andover since 2005

Friday, September, 12 By David Willis
Staff writer

ANDOVER — As Bubba Shkliew stepped off the Lovely Field turf, the North Andover star pumped his fists and looked up to the sky in joy.

“Finally!” he said.

After eight years of heartbreak at the hands of neighboring rival Andover High, North Andover finally broke through, recovering an on-sides kick in the final seconds to lock down a thrilling 20-19 victory over the Golden Warriors Friday.

“This is better than a dream come true,” said senior lineman Yanni Falaras. “We have lost so many games to this team, and I can’t even believe we did it. It is all that I have ever imagined and more.”

With 48 seconds left on the clock, Andover QB E.J. Perry IV connected with Zach Walker on a 20-yard touchdown pass to bring the Warriors to within one points.

But pressure from the North Andover front forced a missed extra point, and junior running back Ryan Good pounced on the on-sides kick to finish off the victory.

It was the second straight season the meeting of the two teams has come down to an extra point, with the Warriors booting the winning PAT a year ago in overtime.

“This is the best day of my life, no question,” said lineman Matt Iacoviello. “We haven’t beaten Andover in so long. We have worked so hard, we have wanted it more than anything in our lives. We knew we could beat them and today we did it.”

It marked the first victory for the Scarlet Knights over the Warriors since 2005, and just the second in 26 years.

“I am just speechless,” said Shkliew. “My brother (former Knights QB Kevin Reyes), Brandon Walsh, David Foote, so many of the greats never got the chance to beat Andover, and we did it.”

It was Shkliew that gave the Knights a 6-0 lead with 2:31 in the first half, catching a touchdown pass from sophomore Seamus Lambert.

But the Golden Warriors bounced back in the third thanks to a pair of huge plays by Brandon Marti.

First, the junior receiver caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from E.J. Perry IV, then two plays into the following drive Marti intercepted a pass and took it 55 yards for a score and a 13-6 lead.

North Andover cut it to 13-12 early in the fourth on a Good touchdown run.

Then, the Knights stuffed the Warriors on a fourth-and-inches at the Andover 23. A play later running back Te’Shaun Watson hammered in from 11 yards, and Lambert and Shkliew combined on the two-point conversion to give North Andover the lead for good.

“I think after the first three-and-out of the game we had confidence,” said Falaras. “We were flying around with so much confidence, we stayed calm and even after we made a few mistakes we were able to regain our composure and take it home.”

Shkliew did just about everything to lead his team. The captain intercepted a pass, caught three passes for 43 yards and in spot duty at tailback he rushed for 33 yards.

“We knew that this was going to be the biggest game of our lives,” said Iacoviello. “We didn’t care that we were underdogs. We didn’t care about their score against Cambridge. This group of seniors has been together since the fifth grade, and we have wanted it ever since. It almost brought me to tears.”

As the final seconds ticked off, the Knights erupted in celebration.

“I don’t even know if it has hit me yet,” said Shkliew. “But it is just a crazy feeling. When it does hit me, I know it is going to be awesome.”