3/31 – Andover: 13, Newton North: 6
Boys Ultimate started off its season with a victory against Newton North High School (Newton North) this Tuesday.
According to Patrick Mendoza ’29, Zachary Yuan ’27 received a long end-of-game catch to score.
“My favorite moment was when [Zachary Yuan ’27] had to run a very long distance to intercept the disc and score one of the last points of the game,” said Mendoza.
For first-time players like Mendoza, nerves were high. With a roster of mixed experience levels, the team leaned on a structured preparation to get everyone in the right mindset before the game.
“We were already doing warm-up exercises an hour before the game started. Then, we huddled up as a team as it got closer to the start, and it helped us calm down,” said Mendoza.
Beyond the scoreboard, Andover’s performance both on and off the field also upheld the team’s reputation as the team with the highest spirit score in the NEPSUL Class A Division. Solon Chen ’29 recalled a moment marked by a strong sense of mutual respect.
“The team overall is very supportive of one another, and opponent sportsmanship was really good. During the game today, there were a couple of people who got injured, and we knelt for them, which was a really nice gesture,” said Chen.
Chen reflected on the win as both a boost of confidence and a diagnostic, citing defense as an area for improvement, specifically the failure to force counterflow, a technique where defenders pressure opponents into reversing the disc’s direction, creating opportunities for interceptions.
“It was a very good starting game for our team because it lifted our spirits with a win, but [it] also showed us what we were good at, and what works well together, and things that we could improve on. We can improve on our defense because we let out a lot of easy chances that, if we just forced counterflow, we would have gotten an interception. We also have to stay tight on our [opponents],” said Chen.
Boys Ultimate looks to continue developing and preparing to face Concord-Carlisle High School on Wednesday at home.
