RallyNorth.net

Fri, Sep 10, 2010 07:00 PM @ Andover

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
North Andover	0	3	0	6	9
Andover	0	8	6	7	21

New-look Andover downs North Andover

Saturday, September, 11 By David Willis
Staff writer

ANDOVER — It took one possession for Andover’s brand new offense to click in a big way.

“We had to get a few bugs out,” said senior quad-captain Brian Miller. “We were a little tense at the start, but after that we really put it together.”

On their second possession of the game, the Golden Warriors went on a 10-play, 89-yard drive that Miller finished with a stellar 21-yard touchdown catch from Tom Dempsey that propelled Andover to a season-opening 21-9 victory over North Andover last night.

“It feels fantastic to start this way,” said senior quad-captain Lyle Baker. “We played the kinks out, but we were prepared. I was going crazy, and the whole team couldn’t wait.”

In his first career start, Dempsey, a senior, appeared calm in the no-huddle attack, completing 15 of 25 passes for 203 yards.

Dempsey looked to his Boston College-bound receiver early and often. Miller caught a career-high 10 passes for 107 yards and a pair of scores, including the first in which he juked a pair of defenders before waltzing into the end zone.

The Golden Warriors also found success on the ground with newcomer Andy Coke. The junior transfer from Brooks carried 23 times for 118 yards, including a 25-yard burst up the middle for a touchdown that gave the Warriors a 14-3 lead in the third.

“All of the changes put a lot more pressure on the kids than on me,” said first-year Andover head coach E.J. Perry. “We could have done more, but we are very happy. Miller was phenomenal, Dempsey played very well, Coke is finding his way and (Ned) Deane was tremendous.”

Back from a torn MCL that ended his season last year, Deane was a force from his linebacker position. He tied for the team-high with seven tackles. He added a pair of sacks, one that set up a score and the other to finish off the Scarlet Knights’ final drive.

“We started really clicking in the second half,” said Deane. “We started flying around and getting to the ball. In the last scrimmage (against Reading), we started hot then faded. This week we did the opposite.”

Chris Newton added seven tackles, Miller six tackles and a sack and Pat Farnham had five stops for the Golden Warriors, who allowed just three first downs in the second half. Will Keller and Jimmy Walsh each made an interception.

Without star quarterback Brandon Walsh, who was suspended for the game, Eagle-Tribune baseball All-Star Mike Weisman did all he could to keep North Andover in the contest.

In his first game as a quarterback, the senior completed 14 of 25 passes for 165 yards and a 47-yard bomb to David Foote with 6:17 left in the game.

Stephen O’Grady led the Knights with eight tackles, while Weisman and Foote added five apiece.

“It was big that we scored first and got the first punch in,” said Perry. “They came back and responded. But other than that long pass, our defense was outstanding. It was a nice way to start.”

Andover now holds a 17-2 advantage since the rivalry was renewed in 1987.

The Golden Warriors host Gloucester, the fourth-ranked team in Eastern Mass., on Thursday.