RallyNorth.net

Christopher (3 TDs) race past Rangers in playoff opener

ANDOVER — Four touches is all Anthony Christopher needed to make a dominant playoff statement.
The running back scored touchdowns on three of his first four carries of the game — covering 103 yards — including the 59-yard burst to give Andover the lead for good as the No. 3 Golden Warriors cruised to a 55-25 victory over No. 6 Methuen in the quarterfinals of the Division 1 North tournament.
“You can only hope, but you certainly never think something like that is going to happen,” said Christopher. “We wanted to make a statement by coming out fast and hard and showing what we could do.”
The Golden Warriors (6-3) now move on to the Division 1 North semifinals to face their archrival, No. 2 seed Central Catholic on Friday at 7 p.m. at Lawrence Stadium. The Rangers (3-5), move to the consolation bracket.
“We can’t wait to take on Central,” said Christopher. “They beat us in the playoffs last year, and came into our stadium and beat us this season. We are ready to go out, play them and hopefully win.”
Andover started fast, as QB E.J. Perry IV hit Andrew Soucy for a 49-yard completion, then Christopher punched the ball in from 9 yards out for a 7-0 lead.
The Rangers responded two plays later, as receiver Kevin Denose took a handoff and broke free for a 50-yard touchdown run.
Christopher then gave Andover the lead right back, surging through the hole and going 59 yards untouched.
“I tried to stretch the play out as far as I could,” said the diminutive senior. “I made a cut and there was no stopping me from there.”
Methuen cut the lead to one point on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kendrick Denose to Michael Bodenrader. But Christopher then made it a hat trick, this time scoring from 34 yards out.
“AC is our spark plug,” said Perry IV. “He explodes through the holes. When they allow a crease he just takes it and it is amazing some of the things he does.”
The offense then took a break as the Warriors added to their lead on a Soucy 38-yard punt return score and — in what could have been the play of the season — an interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Arman Koul.
“I was just kind of chilling in my zone,” said Koul, who also is the left tackle. “I saw the ball coming at me and it just kind of stuck to my gloves. After that there was no way I wasn’t going to get into the end zone. It was kind of in disbelief.”
With the defensive softened by Christopher, Perry IV and company went to work. The QB closed out the first half with a touchdown pass to Dan Gemmell, then closed out the scoring with TD passes to Soucy and Brandon Marti in the second half.
“We always know the passing game is going to be there,” said Koul, who in addition to his pick had a sack and eight tackles. “We know E.J. will throw the ball great and with guys like Gemmell and Soucy they will make plays.”
Brandon Marti also chipped in with an interception, and Perry IV had an interception return for a touchdown that was called back for a Warriors offsides.
Andover now knows it has its hands full with Central in the North semis.
“We are just thinking win,” said Soucy. “We want to beat them, and we think that we have the ability to do it.”