Billerica tops North Andover in overtime
north andover » As Saturday’s game between Billerica High and North Andover progressed, it seemed likely it was going to be decided on the last play.
That’s exactly what happened.
Jacob Linton and Daniel Cabrera stopped North Andover’s Jacob Wolinski inside the 2-yard line on the Scarlet Knights’ twopoint conversion attempt in the first overtime, giving the Indians a 29-27 victory at Joe Walsh Stadium.
“That was a big win for our program,” said Billerica coach Duane Sigsbury, whose team was playing its season-opener. “North Andover is a really strong program. They won a Super Bowl a few years ago. They beat us up pretty good last year. We had a lot of younger kids playing today.”
The score was tied at 21 at the end of regulation after Billerica kicker Shaan Rana’s 47-yard field-goal attempt fell just short. Billerica had the ball first from the 10-yard line. On the third play, quarterback DJ Sidell scored his second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard plunge.
In the Merrimack Valley Conference, teams are required to attempt a 2-point conversion. Sidell lined up in the shotgun and dove across the goal line to put the Indians up 29-21.
On North Andover’s series, quarterback Will Schimmoeller carried the ball twice, the second time on a 4-yard keeper for his second touchdown of the day. On the conversion, Wolinski carried the ball around the right end and Linton and Cabrera stopped him to preserve the victory.
“It was two good teams going at it,” said North Andover coach John Dubzinski, whose team dropped to 1-1. “It went back and forth and they just made one more play than we did.”
The score was tied at 14 at halftime. The Knights took the early lead on their first possession when Schimmoeller hit Max Wolfgang for a 30-yard touchdown pass over the middle. Seth Disalvo’s kick went wide right, leaving the score at 6-0.
Billerica came back with two straight touchdowns in the second quarter to go up 14-7. Dom Giird scored on a 31-yard run after breaking a tackle at the line. Rana’s extra point gave Billerica a 7-6 edge with 7:55 left in the half.
With 2:06 remaining in the half, Linton broke free for a 34-yard scoring run down the left sideline. Rana’s kick made it 14-7.
North Andover came back just before the end of the half to tie the score. After Wolinski began the series with a 36-yard gain to the Billerica 39 and Schimmoeller connected with Adam Lawrence for a 38yard gain to the 1, Steve Ferrullo pounded it into the end zone with 46.8 seconds left. Ferrullo went through the right side of the line for the tying conversion.
Billerica scored on the second play of the fourth quarter at the end of a 16play drive that began with 7:46 left in the third. Sidell scored on a 6-yard keeper around the left end.
It took the Knights two plays to come back, however. Schimmoeller scored on a keeper from the 50 with 10:24 left in regulation. Disalvo’s kick tied the score at 14.