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The Andover gymnastics team moved to 3-0 with a big 141-135 win over Billerica. Rachel Mattison was key with first place finishes in the floor (9.45) and all-around (35.75), and Jenn Quirnbach took the top spot in vault (9.2).

Eric Heath placed third overall in 19.79 as Andover took four of the top 10 spots on its way to downing reigning state champion St. John's Prep 171-153. Nick Sherman (fourth), Nick Binder (20.15) and Adam Carrington (20.17) also exceled for the Golden Warriors. 

The showdown between the Haverhill and Andover girls lived up to its billing with the Hillies pulling out a 42-40 thriller.

Among a slew of fine performances for the Hillies were Sam Stabile winning the 400, Rebecca Stabile capturing the 600 and Alicia Fannon prevailed in the 2-mile. Andover received top efforts from Moira Cronin who edged Sam Stabile in the high jump and Colleen Shannon who was victorious in the 1,000. 

METHUEN - Your basic, run-of-the-mill 29-point third quarter will remedy even the most desperate losing streak.

Andover High, sluggishly trudging through a three-game mini-skid, finally kicked it into gear out of the halftime intermission, rolling out a 29-15 third quarter to starch host Methuen, 76-61, last night.

Natalie Gomez-Martinez hit a game-high four 3-pointers as the Andover girls basketball defeated Methuen, 79-64. In addition to her game-high 28 points, Gomez finished with 11 rebounds, six assists and four steals. Nicole Boudreau dropped 17 points on the Rangers to go alone with nine rebounds, six assists and five steals.

Andover's defense held Lowell to just 42 points but its own offense couldn't score anymore than 32 and the Golden Warriors fell to the Red Raiders. Andover forced 30 Lowell turnovers but they couldn't convert from the field (20%) or from the free throw line (just 2 of 10). Natalie Gomez-Martinez scored 15 for the Golden Warriors.

Andover's Chris McConnell won the 55-meter dash in a time of 6.52 at yesterday's Winter Festival, at the ReggieLewis Center. MConnell then ran with Mark Vetere, Brenden Campbell and Kerrick Stevens to win the 4x200 in a time of 1:32.65.

Rachel Mattison took first in the bars (9.1), floor (9.4), and all-around (35.8) as the Andover girls gymnastics team topped Tewksbury 139.7-83.4 in their first home meet of the year, but the real story of the night took place far from all the action of the contest.

ANDOVER — She’s the kind of weapon point guards live for. Elusive and on target. Always.

“It takes so much pressure off you,” Andover’s Natalie Gomez-Martinez said. “Once you give her the ball, she just creates.”

LAWRENCE — For every question Andover presented, Central Catholic had an answer.

Clog up the paint and double-team monster junior Carson Desrosiers? Then fluid point guard Billy Marsden prowls the perimeter for open shots and Jimmy Zenevitch gobbles up weak-side misses for easy putbacks. Pressure Marsden from end line to end line? Then senior Benny Fernandez steps in to help, deftly dribbling the ball up or feeding Desrosiers at midcourt to create odd-man fast-breaks.