Price is all right in Andover’s upset win
ANDOVER - Andover struck gold with the big play last night as the Golden Warriors defeated Chelmsford, 28-21, in a back-and-forth Merrimack Valley Conference contest at Lovely Field.
The win was Andover’s first over the Lions since 1998, and just its fifth time toppling the Lions in 27 years. The Golden Warriors scored three touchdowns on plays longer than 65 yards, never needing more than three plays to score on any drive.
“This is the biggest win these kids have ever won thus far,’’ said coach John Rex, who took over just seven weeks before the season.
Sophomore running back Nick Price, called upon when star back Nick Enxing left early in the first quarter with a knee injury, scored two touchdowns, including the winning 8-yard run with 57 seconds left.
“I looked at [Price] when Nick went down and told him this is going to be his coming-out party,’’ said Rex. “I didn’t realize I was going to be Nostradamus.’’
No. 16 Chelmsford didn’t go down without a fight, moving to Andover’s 34 before Jimmy Johnson intercepted a Sean Harrington pass at the 25 to seal the deal.
Joe Gennaro, who had come into the night as Division 1’s leading scorer (13 touchdowns, 78 points), ran wild in Chelmsford’s “Wildlion’’ formation, accruing more than 200 yards.
Tied at 21 with two minutes left, Chelmsford had the ball and an opportunity to win. But Peter Theodorou stripped Gennaro and Jake Lebowtiz recovered at the Lions’ 25, setting up Price’s winning run.
Earlier, the Golden Warriors were all about the big play.
After a 68-yard touchdown run by Price got called back on a penalty, John Hennessy threw a 68-yard pass to Johnson to give Andover a 21-14 lead.
Chelmsford tied it on Harrington’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Mike Aronian on fourth down.
Just two nights before his 16th birthday, Price gave Andover a 14-7 lead on the second play of the second half. Price took a pitch right and bounced off two would-be tacklers en route to a 76-yard score.
Gennaro evened things up on the next drive with a 4-yard run.
Mostly lining up as quarterback on the Lions’ first scoring drive, Gennaro ran nine times for 47 yards and passed to tight end Andy Basler for a 7-yard touchdown.
The Golden Warriors retaliated on their next play from scrimmage, Hennessy hitting Christopher McConnell for an electrifying 72-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7.
