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Stone TD with 30 seconds left gives Phillips dramatic victory over archrival Exeter

With the 135-year-old rivalry on the line and less than a minute left on the clock, Ryder Stone and Phillips Academy locked down one of the most thrilling finishes in the historic meeting.

With 31 seconds left and Andover trailing by five, Stone took a handoff and burst in from 3 yards out to give his team the lead, and Alec Tolentino picked off a pass in the waning seconds to give the Big Blue a 13-12 win over archrival Phillips Exeter.

It was the Big Blue's first victory over their hated rival since 2007.

"It was bedlam on the field after we won," said Andover coach Leon Modeste. "I got crushed be the mass of people that charged the field to celebrate. It was a great win."

Exeter held a 12-7 lead with approximately eight minutes left on the clock when the Big Red nailed their rival at their own 10 yard-line.

But Andover responded with a 9-yard drive that ate up nine minutes, with QB Ian Maag executing a pair of fourth-down plays, scrambling for one first down and connecting with Brandon Michel for another first.

That set up Stone for the touchdown that proved to be the game-winner.

"We just controlled them the rest of the way with that drive," said Modeste. "That is how you complete a drive and win a game. Our guys stepped up."

Another key play came in the first. After Exeter took the lead with a touchdown, Michel blocked the extra point, which proved to be the winning margin. Maag scored Andover's first touchdown on a QB sneak.

Not 8-0, Andover moves on to the

New England Prep School A championship game next Saturday. Modeste said the opponent and location will be decided in a meeting today.