RallyNorth.net

Sat, Sep 23, 2017 01:30 PM @ Tewksbury

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
North Andover	7	21	0	7	35
Tewksbury	0	8	8	0	16

‘Revenge Tour’ keeps rolling: Behind big days from DeSouza, McElroy, North Andover rolls past Tewksbury

TEWKSBURY - North Andover quarterback Jake McElroy has only played with Gabe DeSouza for three games, but he already knows his favorite thing about the 6-foot-2, 185-pound transfer from Everett.

"He's always open," said McElroy with an ear-to-ear smile.

The Tewksbury secondary became very familiar with the back of DeSouza's jersey Saturday afternoon, as he torched the field for 151 yards on four receptions and two touchdowns. He also made a beautiful interception and was a perfect 5 for 5 on extra points, helping North Andover roll past Tewksbury, 35-16.

But DeSouza wasn't the only superstar for unbeaten North Andover (3-0).

McElroy finished 6-of-10 passing for 205 yards and three touchdowns, and junior back Darren Watson rushed for 73 yards on 14 carries and a score and also hauled in a 46-yard TD pass.

After beating Methuen on a late, fourth-down touchdown last week, Tewksbury (2-1) moved up to No. 12 in the Boston Globe's Eastern Mass. top-20 rankings.

"Tewksbury is very, very good, probably one of the best programs around here the past 50 years," said North Andover coach John Dubzinski. "But we said that if they can stop our best players than they deserve to win. So we tried our best to get the ball in our playmakers' hands."

The Knights did just that early and often.

McElroy hit DeSouza on a 46-yard fade route midway through the first quarter. Then in the second, Watson dove for the pylon on a 4th-and-1 from the 5-yard-line to cap off a 9-play, 69-yard drive. On the Knight's next drive, McElroy found Watson on a 46-yard wheel route down the sideline on the first play to make it 21-0 in a blink.

To Tewksbury's credit, it did not fold.

The Redmen found the end zone on their next possession when quarterback James Connolly hit Shane Aylward for a score. But it took just one play for North Andover to respond, as DeSouza won a jump ball with two defenders nearby and took off 58 yards to the house to make it a 28-8 game at the half.

"They were in man coverage and I was confident our wide receivers could beat them," said McElroy. "Not many people can stay with our guys."

Defensively, Jack Walsh wasn't going to leave without an interception. The junior looked to have one in the first half, but it was negated by a personal foul penalty.

But on Tewksbury's first drive of the second half, Walsh came flying in to cut off a pass right in front of the receiver.

"I knew I just had to bounce back and get another," said Walsh. "I basically saw the quarterback looking that way and that's when I just gave it my all and made a play on the ball. The receiver ran a really nice route, but I just did my best to get in front of him."

Led by the 6-foot-6, 245-pound Andrew Carter up front, the North Andover defensive line held the Redmen to just 88 yards on 27 carries. Chikeziri Ogwuru was in on a handful of tackles, and Watson flew in from the secondary to make some big hits.

After struggling to a 4-7 season last year, North Andover is hungry for revenge. In their three games, the Knights have outscored opponents 86-37.

Next in North Andover's way is a home matchup with Lawrence Friday at 7 p.m.

"We call it the ‘Revenge Tour,'" said McElroy. "It feels great right now."

 

 

North Andover 35, Tewksbury 16

North Andover (3-0):    7 21 0 7 - 35

Tewksbury (2-1):    0  8 8 0 - 16

First Quarter

 NA - Gabe DeSouza 46 pass from Jake McElroy (DeSouza kick), 5:06

Second Quarter

 NA - Darren Watson 5 run (DeSouza kick), 7:15

 NA - Watson 46 pass from McElroy (DeSouza kick), 5:55

 T - Shane Aylward 10 pass from James Connolly (George Matovu run), 2:52

 NA - DeSouza 58 pass from McElroy (DeSouza kick), 2:39

Third Quarter

 T - Brandon Winn 2 rush (Masyn Lorick pass from Keough), 3:14

Fourth Quarter

 NA - J.D. Allen 6 run (DeSouza kick), 5:31

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING: NORTH ANDOVER (30-160): Darren Watson 14-73, J.D. Allen 8-61, Jake McElroy 4-17, Mike Coles 4-; TEWKSBURY (27-88): Nolan Kavanaugh 6-35, George Matovu 6-29, Brandon Winn 11-19, Kyle Zervas 1-8, James Connolly 2-6, Tim Rivers 1-(-9)

PASSING: NA - McElroy 6-10-0, 205; T - Connolly 3-6-2, 26, Rivers 7-14-0, 56

RECEIVING: NA - Gabe DeSouza 4-151, Watson 1-46, Jack Walsh 1-8; T - Blake Hiltz 3-12, Braden Hiltz 1-13, Matovu 1-11, Masyn Lorick 1-10, Winn 1-10, Shane Aylward 1-10, Kavanaugh 1-8, Kyle Zervas 1-8