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Coke scores 8 touchdowns, Andover beats Lowell in 8 overtimes

Friday, November, 12 By David Willis
Staff writer

LOWELL — Andover quarteNetrback Andy Coke had to pinch himself, literally.Ne

“I was about to cry,” he said. “I was thinking, ‘Am I in a dream right now?’ After I scored on the last run, it felt like a dream. I had to touch myself to make sure it was real life.”

Coke sprinted in for a 10-yard touchdown — his eighth score of the day — to give Andover a stunning 88-82 victory over Lowell in eight overtimes last night.

“I think this might be the greatest high school football game in the history of Andover, the MVC, Massachusetts or even the country,” said Golden Warriors co-captain Ned Deane. “That was unbelievable. We fought and fought without one of our big guys (Brian Miller) and made it happen at the end.”

Lowell scored with no time left in regulation, and the game-tying extra point just cleared the upright to make it 28-28.

From there, the two teams found themselves in a stalemate. Each team scored on its first seven possessions of overtime, which consists of four attempts from the 10-yard line. Each team also converted six straight 2-point conversions after missing the first, since by rule teams cannot kick in overtime.

But the Golden Warriors finally did deliver a defensive punch. Josh Mcglauflin hauled in a pass from Kyle Edwards, but junior defensive back Jimmy Walsh dragged him down inches short of the end zone on fourth down.

“We said that we would have one last stand,” said Deane. “To see him come up just short was great.”

With Andover needing only to score to end the game, Coke went 10 yards untouched into the end zone on first down to give the Golden Warriors the win at 10:37 p.m.

That set off a mammoth celebration in the end zone in which nearly the entire team piled on top of Coke, while emotional center Connor Clancy sprawled on the field around the 10-yard line in tears.

“I didn’t even realize what was happening at first,” said Clancy. “I thought was had to go for two-points, just because we had done it so many times. We played three games today. We lost maybe our best player, and we responded. All the work we put in was worth it.”

The Golden Warriors rode Coke all night. He scored a stunning eight touchdowns, three in regulation and five in overtime. He finished the day with 165 rushing yards.

“My legs are shot,” said a weary Coke. “When I saw the open lane I just knew I had a touchdown. But I made sure to finish my run. I gave all my heart. We are confident in our offense, and from 10 yards we can put it in every time.”

Running back Freddie Scribner was also key, rushing 17 times for 116 yards and three overtime touchdowns.

“We committed to running the football,” said Andover coach E.J. Perry. “We just relied on Andy. He is playing at a level that is really incredible right now. Five touchdowns last week was special, and he got eight today. Scribner also played a heck of a game.”

The Golden Warriors did it all without Boston College-bound wide receiver/defensive lineman Brian Miller, who was lost for the game in the first quarter with a knee injury after taking a hit on a catch.

“This one was for Brian,” said Coke, receiving hugs from every fan and teammate that walked by. “I’m going to sleep until about 3 p.m. tomorrow. Now we have Thanksgiving.”

Deane once again led the Golden Warriors with 15 tackles, and Jimmy Walsh made the hit of the night, leaping into the air to stop a jumping running back short of the end zone.

“This is the greatest athletic event I have ever been associated with,” said Perry. “I’ve had all those wins in volleyball and a state championship in basketball (at Salem, N.H.) But that was by far the greatest athletic event I have ever been a part of.”

History by the numbers

8 — Touchdown runs for Andover’s Andy Coke

7 — Two-point conversions for Coke

7 — Touchdown passes for Lowell’s Kyle Edwards

6 — Fourth downs converted for touchdowns

3:37 — Time of the game

35 — Time outs called in regulation and overtime