RallyNorth.net

Trick play leads Andover over North Andover

Friday, September, 09 By David Willis
Staff writer

NORTH ANDOVER — C.J. Scarpa admitted he was shaking when the play was called from the sidelines.

“I was pretty nervous,” he said. “It was the first trick play I have ever run. They are not my forte. But it went perfectly.”

With Andover trailing by three points midway through the fourth, Scarpa took a reverse pitch from Andy Coke and threw a bomb to Cam Farnham, who waltzed into the end zone for the touchdown that propelled the Golden Warriors to a 30-20 victory over North Andover last night.

“This is a huge win for us,” said Farnham. “It’s non-league now, but they will be an MVC team next year, and it’s always a big win against North Andover.”

Andover had just seen the Scarlet Knights take a 20-17 lead with 7:28 to go in the game on a 61-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Walsh to little brother Casey Walsh.

In need of a big play, coach E.J. Perry elected to call on the trick play he had installed just days earlier.

“We had put the play in earlier this week,” said Farnham, “It was working great in practice, but I was pretty anxious.”

Coke, lined up at quarterback, took the snap and pitched it to quarterback Scarpa, who had started the play in the slot.

“I saw Farnham had gotten behind the defense,” said Scarpa. “We knew it could work if Cam got open. He did and I let it go.”

Farnham, who inherited his family’s traditional No. 46 this season, wasn’t about to let it go.

“I had dropped a touchdown earlier, so there was no way I was dropping that one,” he said. “It was a perfect throw and I just made sure I was in the end zone.”

From there, Andover’s defense was more than up to the task.

On the following possession, Coke picked off Brandon Walsh, and on the Scarlet Knights’ final drive, defensive lineman Matt Crush intercepted Casey Walsh to seal the victory.

“Walsh hadn’t been throwing to my side the whole game,” said Coke, who did not play defense last year. “So when he did I wanted to make a play.”

Coke, an All-Scholastic last season, picked up right where he left off. He carried 21 times for 130 yards and the Warriors’ first touchdown. Backfield mate Freddie Scribner added 81 yards on 11 carries.

Junior Will Heikkinen exploded onto the scene, grabbing a pair of touchdown passes from Scarpa. That allowed them to overcome three earlier turnovers.

“I think it was first-game jitters,” said Coke. “We made a lot of mistakes, but it was good to come out with the win. Watch out for Heikkinen. He’s going to make plays.”

The Andover defense pressured Walsh all night, with Crush and T.J. Leeman each earning a solo sack and combing on another.

The two defensive linemen also picked off a pass each, one from each Walsh brother. Brendan Paquette led the Golden Warriors with seven tackle.

Brandon Walsh battled severe cramps and dehydration all night, needing to be removed from the game on two occasions. But was able to throw for 186 yards and rush for 97 and two scores. Receiver Dan Laorenza caught eight passes for 105 yards.

“We felt like we should win this game,” said Coke. “We have a lot to work on, but it felt so good to get this win.”

Additional stories:

• VIDEO: Andover football downs North Andover