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LYNN — For the first 17 plays of the game, Andover couldn’t have scripted a better start.

“The first drive was huge,” said Golden Warriors coach E.J. Perry. “If we score and put Everett on its heals, then we have opportunities. We needed to get the job done, but we couldn’t punch it in.”

ANDOVER — Never, in his wildest dreams, could Michael McGovern have predicted his performance.

“I really couldn’t,” said McGovern. “Of all my visualization I went through before the game, this isn’t what I thought was going to happen at all. I never thought I’d have the game I had today.”

ANDOVER — Some cried, some jumped up and down and others hugged anyone they could find. Coach E.J. Perry was carried off the field on the shoulders of his players, and quarterback Tom Dempsey clung to the game ball with both hands.

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.”

BILLERICA — Even offensive lineman Lyle Baker couldn’t help but do his own Andy Coke impression.

“Did you see the juke on (reigning Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year) Nick LaSpada?” said Baker, giving a shimmy as if he was carrying the ball. “We got Andy to the next level, and he juked left, juked right and just ran past LaSpada. It was crazy.”

ANDOVER — Connor Clancy and Andover had one word on their minds heading into last night.

“I kept saying ‘revenge’ on the sidelines for a reason,” said Clancy. “They last two years had been pure misery against Dracut. They scored 47 on us last year, and two years ago it was 55. It just stunk. We wanted this, and there is no better feeling.”

METHUEN — Corey Shepherd saw the ball heading to another receiver.

“I through it was going to Kevin Higgins,” he said. “He might have tipped it. But it went into my hands and I dove into the end zone and scored.”

ANDOVER — Everyone in attendance could feel the momentum shift.

“We need to fix our punt,” said Andover coach E.J. Perry. “It was a tie game, then we get two punts blocked and suddenly we’re trailing by two scores. We struggled on offense, but the punt was a problem.”

ANDOVER — Everyone in attendance could feel the momentum shift.

“We need to fix our punt,” said Andover coach E.J. Perry. “It was a tie game, then we get two punts blocked and suddenly we’re trailing by two scores. We struggled on offense, but the punt was a problem.”

ANDOVER — Sophomore Mark Zavrl tried in vain to calm his nerves.

“My heart rate was about 250 when I walked onto the field,” said the kicker. “I couldn’t even talk. I almost threw up on my way out there. But just before the snap, everything went quiet.”