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Brown runs for 44-yard touchdown as time expires, Andover stuns Lowell

Saturday, October, 26 By David Willis
Staff writer

ANDOVER — As the game’s final seconds ticked off the clock, with Andover trailing by a point, Scott Brown saw his chance at victory, and took it.

“I didn’t see anyone open, but I saw a lane to the end zone,” the freshman QB remembered. “I rolled out, and thought about going out of bounds. But I saw the opening, and after the dive I knew I was in.” 

 With just 11 seconds left in the game, Brown scrambled right, took off running, broke one tackle, and with a defender around his ankles dove into the end zone with 0:00 left on the clock to give Andover a stunning 19-14 win over Lowell.

“That was the craziest play!” said senior Kelvin Davila. “I was running my route, I saw Scotty take off, and I just tried to throw a block. I knew he could get in. This is the happiest day of my football career.”

It was the third straight win for the Golden Warriors, who now head into the playoffs at 4-3.

As Brown dove into the end zone, and the referee signaled touchdown, the young QB was mobbed by teammates celebrating the wild win.

“Scotty is one of the quickest kids I’ve ever seen,” said senior Michael Slayton. “When he got in, I just jumped on him with everyone else. A freshman making a play like that? I can’t imagine what’s going through his head.”

Andover needed those heroics, as upset-minded Lowell delivered a late, dramatic play of its own.

With 1:12 left in the fourth quarter, University of New Hampshire recruit Brendan Tighe stretched the ball barely into the end zone on fourth down for a touchdown. After the extra point, the Red Raiders led 14-13.

“We were still confident,” said Slayton. “We know we have the best kicker in the state (Shamus Florio), so we were just trying to get into field goal range. But we didn’t need to.”

Andover started the final drive with Victor Harrington at quarterback, but he had to leave the game after two plays due to injury.

Brown, the starter, re-entered the game, and on a fourth down kept the drive going with a 16-yard completion to Davila. He then found Slayton (six catches, 129 yards) for a 17-yard gain with 0:16 to go.

But, after two passes then fell incomplete, Andover stood at the 44-yard line with 0:11 left.

“We knew we could still do it,” said Davila. “We knew it was tough, but we knew we could still make a play. And we did.”

Brown ran right, took off, broke two tackles, and with Tighe in pursuit was just able to lunge into the end zone.

“I just let my feet do the work,” said Brown. “I just knew I had to do anything I could to get the win. I knew I was in the end zone. Then I tried to get up, but there were about 50 people on top of me. It was crazy!”

Brown gave Andover the lead just 2:07 into the game, when he scrambled out of trouble and found Slayton for a 62-yard touchdown.

Lowell tied it up, but the Golden Warriors retook the lead on a 28-yard touchdown run by Josh “Bibi” Ramos (17 carries, 105 yards) with 5:05 left in the third.

Andover’s defense nearly clinched the win. Lowell drove to the Golden Warrior 1-yard line, but tackles by Mark Bentley, Aneudy Moreno and a combo stop by Davila and Florio forced a fourth down before Tighe scored.

Harrington added an interception and two tackles for Andover, Bentley and Ryan McQuiade each had a sack and Davila added an interception.

Brown completed 11-of-19 passes for 189 yards, both highs for his young career. But the biggest play was with his legs.

“This game meant everything to us,” said Davila. “It was our senior night. It was our biggest game of the season, and I am so happy for the team.”

Additional stories:

• Brown runs for 44-yard touchdown as time expires, Andover stuns Lowell