RallyNorth.net

Fri, Nov 09, 2007 07:00 PM @ North Andover

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Lawrence	7	0	14	6	27
North Andover	7	7	14	7	35

Iovanella racks up 320 yards in North Andover win

Saturday, November, 10 By Hector Longo
Staff writer

NORTH ANDOVER | Sophomore Zac Iovanella rushed for a career-best 321 yards and North Andover needed just about every single inch in a 35-27 win over upset-minded Lawrence.

The Scarlet Knights can nail down a Cape Ann League Large co-championship with a Turkey Day win at Masconomet, but they won't be returning to the postseason for the second time in three years. Wilmington locked out the Knights by beating Pentucket last night, 20-13.

Surprisingly, last night's shootout wasn't decided until the final two minutes.

While North Andover, now 7-3 overall and 3-1 in the CAL Large, was busy chewing up a season-high 385 yards on the ground, Lawrence feasted through the air.

When junior Alex Andrews (7 catches, 119 yards) pulled in his second TD pass of the night, slicing the score to 35-27 with 2:37 to play, there was concern on the North Andover side.

That concern grew to outright anguish when the ensuing onside kick ricocheted into the arms of Luis Nova, giving Lawrence a true shot at the shocker, with the ball at the Knights' 42.

Enter Iovanella, who turned in the play of the night on defense, picking off Ramon Heredia's lone mistake in an otherwise brilliant night to end the threat.

Iovanella was one worn out 150-pounder after his 38-carry night. He ran for TDs of 33, 6, 1 and 11 yards, making it an even dozen TDs on the year.

The junior Heredia (18 of 28, 241 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) found his big receivers, Demetri Brown and Alex Andrews, early and often.

After a 14-7 first half, defense was pretty much non-existent from either side.

Both teams scored on their first three possessions after the break | with the Knights gashing the Lancers on the ground and North Andover unable to stop Heredia and Co. through the air.

Brown caught a game-high eight balls for 139 yards and a TD. Andrews had seven catches for 118 yards and a pair of athletic scores. Halfback Devin Montanez hurled a 64-yard TD bomb to Brown and had another wiped away by an official's flag.