Football Preview: Andover Golden Warriors vs. Methuen Rangers
Andover and Methuen are an even 5-5 against one another since October of 2015, but not for long. The Andover Golden Warriors will be playing at home against the Methuen Rangers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both will really light up the scoreboard.
Methuen is hoping to do what Lowell couldn't on Friday: put an end to Andover's winning streak, which now stands at three games. Andover breezed by Lowell at home to the tune of 35-6. That looming 35-6 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Golden Warriors yet this season.
Andover found their leader in underclassman Marcus Dejesus, who rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown. The dominant performance gave Dejesus a new career-high in rushing yards. Dominic Papa was another key player, throwing for 156 yards and two touchdowns.
Andover's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged four passes before it was all said and done. Ben Hnat led the group effort, picking up two of those interceptions all by himself. Connor Acheson is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made eight or more in the last three games he's played dating back to last season.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Andover was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 201 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Methuen, who bounced back after a loss on the road back in September. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Chelmsford on Friday, sneaking past 38-36.
Andover's win bumped their record up to 3-1. As for Methuen, their victory was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 2-1.
Andover took a serious blow against Methuen when the teams last played back in September of 2023, falling 51-18. That matchup was all but decided by halftime, at which point Andover was down 37-12.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
