RallyNorth.net

ANDOVER — Fans of the country’s oldest prep-school rivalry have seen quite a bit in the 130-year history of the matchup, but the Phillips schools of Exeter and Andover put on something historic yesterday afternoon.

Phillips running back T.J. Hickey's 2-yard touchdown run tied the game 7-7 early in the second quarter, but that is as close as the Big Blue would get as they fell to Worcester Academy 47-22 yesterday.

Methuen's Jason Buco returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown, and caught a 22-yard touchdown pass, but Phillips could manage little more and fell to Deerfield Academy 32-14 last night.

"They just grounded us with their running game," said Big Blue coach Leon Modeste. "We couldn't stop them, and our offense couldn't get the ball."

GILL — With its lead cut to just a single score early in the third quarter, Phillips needed a momentum shift.

So in stepped Eric Meller and Brendan Rankowitz.

Following a Northfield Mount Hermon touchdown, Meller broke through to block the extra point, and Rankowitz picked up the loose ball and ran it 102 yards for two points, sending the Big Blue on their way to a 36-20 victory yesterday.

WALLINGFORD, Conn. – T.J. Hickey ran for 75 yards and Jason Buco took a fourth-quarter kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown as Phillips Academy earned its first win of the fall yesterday with a 21-18 cliffhanger, at Choate.

     WINDSOR, Conn. — Loomis Chaffee ran the ball right at Phillips Academy yesterday and came away with a season-opening 29-18 victory.

   "We're small and they took advantage of it," said Phillips Academy coach Leon Modeste.