Kai Myles ’27 leaves an opponent stunned as he dribbles toward the goal.
11/9 – Andover: 1, Exeter: 1
Andover Boys Soccer (8-5-3) played its last game of the season at the annual Andover/Exeter (A/E) game. The game with a final 1-1 score, hindered the team’s progression to the post-season.
Although the game determined whether Andover would be in the playoffs, Co-Captain Sebastian Mejia-Rivera ’25 still views the game as a positive end to the season. The team of 28 consists of 16 seniors and Mejia-Rivera believes the Seniors have left the team with a strong future.
“We’re leaving the team in a good place this year. We’ve got guys who’ll do amazing jobs as Captains. I know there’ll be some new talent coming in to help the program grow, so I’d say to the team to keep their heads high and make us proud. I definitely think they can make the playoffs next year,” said Mejia-Rivera.
Luca Masters ’25 echoed Mejia-Rivera’s thoughts, praising the team for its dedication and thanking Head Coach Joe Donnelly in particular, a first-year coach, for making the season so memorable.
“Personally, I was really sad we didn’t make the playoffs because I’m a Senior, and it’s my last season playing soccer. But everyone, regardless of being a Senior or not, showed the same passion and energy because everyone wants to win and do well. It was disappointing, but we didn’t leave anything behind. We upset some great teams this season, and with Coach Donnelly in his first year, we were expected to struggle, but we proved people wrong,” said Masters.
Masters also commented on the longstanding rivalry between Andover and Exeter, highlighting the infectious energy A/E day brings.
“We view this game as something that is separate from the other games in our season. It’s not just part of the season; it’s separate, and it’s different. It has this crazy energy, and being here for four years, this game has always been like no other. There’s more energy, and players come out with so much more intensity. It comes from the heart,” said Masters.
Mejia-Rivera also shared valuable insights on the team’s achievements and applauded the team for improving its mindset since the beginning of the season. However, he noted that communication could have been better, citing it as a factor that led Andover to give up a goal against Exeter.
“At the beginning of the season, we had a hard time recovering from goals we conceded, but today, we didn’t let that get to us. In fact, we got stronger after they scored and put a lot of pressure on them. Keeping our heads high was a definite strength. As for weaknesses, I’d say communication. Their goal came from a lucky ball into the box, and our backline didn’t communicate well, so one of their players ran through and got a header on it without any challenge,” said Mejia-Rivera.
Ethan Brown ’27 also shared his insight into the team’s performance on the field. Brown attributed the team’s consistency to its combined efforts but suggested they could have capitalized on more chances.
“We had the goal scorer, Kai [Myles ’27], and Elijah [Robinson ’25], [Co-Captain] Spencer [Madge ’25], and Louis [Vincent-Thomas ’25] in the midfield also played really well. The entire team played all around pretty well. We didn’t give up after the goal was scored. We continued to put pressure and stick to our game plan. We just should have converted the chances that we got. We just didn’t put away the chances we needed to put away,” said Brown.
Masters also reflected on the impact the spectators had on the team’s performance, expressing frustration even though the team had anticipated the intensity of the crowd. He credited his teammates for supporting him and helping him maintain a strong mindset throughout the match.
“We talked with our Captains and coaches about not letting the fans get to our heads. However, I remember making one bad pass, and someone shouted, ‘17, you suck!’ I tried to ignore it, but it’s hard when they’re right there on the sideline. I expected it, but it was still a bit surprising. It took me about five minutes to settle into the game, and then I realized I was here with my team. We were an army, supporting each other, and fighting for the same thing,” said Masters.
