WOBURN — Andover wasn’t supposed to be there Friday night.
This was going to be a rebuilding year, everyone thought, to recover and refresh after being hit hard by graduation.
But there the Golden Warriors were, at the center of the Massachusetts football world, facing off against the state’s premier power, one win from their first true state championship game.
“We got one step closer this year,” said Andover coach E.J. Perry. “Last year was the quarterfinals, this year was the semifinals. Next year, we want to take that last big step to the state championship game.”
No. 4 Andover’s Cinderella run of six straight wins through the quarterfinals came to an end at the hands of undefeated defending Division 1 champion and top seed St. John’s Prep, which dealt the Golden Warriors a 35-7 loss in the Division 1 semifinals.
“I thought we stood tough and battled with them the entire game,” said Perry, whose squad also fell to the Prep in last year’s Division 1 quarterfinals. “This season has been awesome, but you just can’t have a letdown against a team like this, or they’re going to take advantage. But that doesn’t take away from what this group accomplished this year.”
This marked the second trip to the Division 1 semifinals for Andover (9-2), since the format was introduced in 2013. The other was in 2016, when the Golden Warriors upset St John’s Prep in the quarterfinals.
The Prep (11-0) will look to win its fourth state title in the last five state tournaments — there was no postseason in 2020 — when the Eagles take on their Thanksgiving rival, No. 2 Xaverian (9-2), in the Division 1 title game.
St. John’s took charge right away on Friday, opening the game on a 12-play drive that ate up 5:41 and resulted in the first of four touchdowns on the Eagles’ four first half possessions. The Prep gained 231 first half yards on the way to those four scores.
Andover saw one potential drive end with an interception, and another drive to the Prep 30 was spoiled by a fumble.
“The first half with the turnovers hurt us so bad,” said Perry. “You can’t turn the ball over against the Prep. We drove and shot ourselves in the foot. We have to finish. Up front, they’re just going to run it. We felt like we were doing a good job, but they just kept taking 3 or 4 yards on every play. They were making fourth downs. They are just so mechanical.”
Andover broke up the shutout on the first drive of the second half. QB Dom Papa found receiver Chris Dessin for a 65-yard catch-and-run, and the two connected again on a 16-yard touchdown.
The Golden Warriors then forced a turnover on downs, and drove to the Prep 34-yard line. But they then also turned the ball over on downs, and the Eagles iced the victory.
Papa finished with 12-of-19 throwing for 181 yards, while Dessin had five catches for 117 yards. Running back Dante Berger ran for 60 yards.
Andover must now refocus, and prepare for rival North Andover on Thanksgiving Day.
“We want to finish this season strong,” said Perry. “This senior class has done a tremendous job this year giving so much to this program. What they have done the last two years is a tribute to them. Now we have to finish.”
St. John’s Prep 35, Andover 7
Division 1 semifinals
Andover (9-2): 0 0 7 0 — 7
St. John’s Prep (11-1): 8 20 0 7 — 35
First Quarter
SJP — Mason McSweeney 14 pass from Deacon Robillard (Jimmy Nardone rush), 6:19
Second Quarter
SJP — Edwin Castro 11 run (Nardone rush), 9:12
SJP — Castro 2 run (rush failed), 5:47
SJP — Gavin Gold 27 pass from Robillard (rush failed), 0:39
Third Quarter
A — Chris Dessin 16 pass from Dom Papa (Nate Bernardin kick), 8:04
Fourth Quarter
SJP — Jeff Quigley 3 run (Langdon Laws kick), 4:21
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Andover — Dante Berger 9-60, Dom Papa 5-4, Jason DeJesus 1-(-4); SJP (48-226) — Cam LaGrassa 19-79, Edwin Castro 4-33, Jeff Quigley 8-30
PASSING: Andover — Papa 12-19-1, 181; SJP — Decon Robillard 11-14-0, 118
RECEIVING: Andover — Chris Dessin 5-117, Brian Hnat 2-22, DeJesus 1-14, Berger 4-28; SJP — Mason McSweeney 3-44, Gavin Gold 4-47, Gael Garcia 1-8, Pierson Scala 1-9, Jack Angelopoulos 1-4, Josh Haarmann 1-6
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