Andover Football opened up Saturday’s game against Choate with a score on its first drive, but two Choate touchdowns within the next 10 plays quickly crushed Andover’s momentum. Choate went on to score six more unanswered touchdowns and won the game 53-7.
“Quite frankly, Choate was just 100 percent better,” said Coach Leon Modeste. “Their team is stacked with talent and resembles that of a college level football team. They had guys that as soon as they caught the ball or had the ball in their hand could break a tackle and go the distance.”
At the end of an eight-play drive at the start of the game, Joey Verhaegh ’13, Andover’s quarterback, hit Larken Kemp ’13 on a slant pattern for an 18 yard touchdown to take an initial 7-0 Andover lead.
“Joey gave me an opportunity to go get it, and as soon I got off the line I knew I had the chance to score. The ball was perfectly thrown, and I just had to run under it,” said Kemp.
Unfortunately, the rest of the game turned into a nightmare for Andover.
One of Choate’s first two touchdowns was a 65-yard run by a Choate running back.
“We had problems tackling their players, especially those who could play at a high level. These guys carried the speed, agility and talent that we did not have,” said Modeste.
Modeste added, “You have to understand: the landscape of the New England Prep School Division A has completely changed, and we [the Andover football program] need to adapt.”
Though Andover managed to pass for over a 150 yards last week against Loomis, it passed for only 87 at Choate.
Modeste spoke highly of Captain Jack Ward ’13, who led Andover with 12 tackles, as one of few bright spots in the game.
“Jack was unbelievable. He was the one guy who was able to take on [Choate’s] line defensively and offensively. He can play at a high level, and he is a true talent. He makes plays that make you go, ‘Wow, how did he do that?’ Truly, he was the only player that was able to match them [Choate] one-for-one,” said Modeste.
In the weeks ahead, Andover will look to turn things around by maintaining a strong morale.
“After the loss, everyone on the team knew that things needed to change. It was pretty apparent that we needed to work harder in practice and in the weight room. Most importantly, we need to remain a team and work together,” said Jumaane Ford ’16.
Andover hopes that pressure will translate into a win tomorrow, when it faces Cushing Academy at home.
