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North Andover falls short in OT

Saturday, March, 20 By Dave Dyer

NORTH ANDOVER — The “B” on the other side of the field stood for Billerica.

But it could have stood for “ball control,” because that’s what the visiting Indians stood for Saturday afternoon in an exciting 29-27 overtime victory over the host Knights.

Basically, North Andover just didn’t have the ball enough to pull this one out and, as a result, fell to 1-1 in this Fall 2 season.

Tied at 14-14 at halftime, Billerica put together a nine-minute drive starting early in the third quarter and ending two plays into the fourth quarter, giving the visitors a 21-14 lead.

North Andover quarterback Will Schimmoeller, who played a terrific game, responded 40 seconds later with a 50-yard touchdown run to tie the game, 21-21, but Billerica came back with another seven minute drive.

Thanks partly to a pair of penalties, that drive was stopped, but Billerica got a lucky bounce on its ensuing punt that gave North Andover the ball on its own 1-yard line with just 3:07 left in the game, and that all but forced overtime.

Billerica got the ball first in overtime and scored on its third play on a run by quarterback DJ Sidell, who followed with a 2-point conversion run.

Schimmoeller responded two plays later with a 4-yard run, but the rushing extra points attempt came a half-yard short, sending the Billerica sideline into unbridled joy.

In their last meeting, back in 2019, North Andover had smacked the Indians 35-0 and the visitors celebrated the redemption big time.

“That was a rock fight, back and forth, with no lead safe,” said North Andover coach John Dubzinski. “I give them credit. They had a good game plan and won the battle up front. It’s hard to win when that happens.”

Thanks to its blocking, Billerica had several backs who consistently gained yardage but its biggest threat was a junior cannonball (5-7, 190) named Dom Gird.

Gird didn’t get a carry in the first two series of the game, but then took over and finished with 144 yards on 22 carries.

The Knights took an early lead when Schimmoeller hit Max Wolfgang right  up the middle for a 30-yard TD pass. But Billerica, which only attempted one pass the entire game, responded with two TDs in the second quarter, the second on a 35-yard run by Jacob Linter with just 2:06 left to halftime.

Facing a 14-6 halftime deficit, North Andover came back quickly. Jake Wolinski scampered down the sidelines for 35 yards, Schimmoeller hit AJ Lawrence for a 38-yard completion two plays later and Steve Ferullo then tied it with a 2-yard run and conversion run.

Although disappointed in the outcome, Dubzinski praised the Knights’ effort, particularly that of Schimmoeller, who completed 6 of 8 passes for 97 yards and rushed for 85 yards on six attempts in the second half.

“He was great — I couldn’t ask more from him,” said Dubzinski.

The Knights (1-1) return to action next Saturday at Malden Catholic at 1:30 p.m. Malden Catholic, which is coached by former Windham coach Bill Raycroft, lost its opener to Xaverian, 20-14, on Saturday.