Fenway dream come true: Andover, North Andover football players reflect on 'unreal' experience at iconic park
Nov. 29—Even as he sat in the cramped clubhouse that has housed countless major league players, then walked through the ancient halls on the way to baseball's most hallowed ground, North Andover quarterback Jack O'Connell still struggled to believe the moment was real.
Was he actually about to play a football game at Fenway Park?
"I couldn't picture myself playing at Fenway Park at all until I actually stepped onto the grass," said O'Connell, who threw two touchdowns. "Playing at such a historical park was truly a gift. Being in the clubhouse before the game was pretty awesome, too. The atmosphere was electric in the stands. During warmups I took a second to really look around and take in the moment. It was truly unreal."
Nearly a week after facing off, North Andover and Andover High football players are still savoring their moment at iconic Fenway Park, which opened in 1912, where they played their annual Thanksgiving game last Tuesday.
And while the Scarlet Knights won a thriller, 27-26, it remains a tremendously special moment for athletes from both schools.
"Playing at Fenway is a moment I'll never forget," said Andover quarterback Scotty Brown. "I've watched so many games on TV and in the Fenway seats. Thinking about all the history of the park and all the magic that has happened there is special. Despite the loss, playing at Fenway was unreal."
For North Andover High receiver Nick Ankiewicz, the moment hit him as he walked through the more than century-old dugout.
"Playing at Fenway was one of the best experiences of my life," said Ankiewicz, who caught three passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. "Walking out of the legendary dugout at the start of the game was definitely one of the moments I will remember most. Then seeing the park going nuts with North Andover fans was surreal."
Andover running back Lincoln Beal caught a 53-yard touchdown pass from Brown in the fourth quarter — what was then the go-ahead score — a moment he knows will always be a special one.
"The best part of playing was definitely scoring a touchdown at Fenway," said Beal, who finished with a game-high 88 receiving yards to go with 73 rushing yards. "That's something I'm going to be able to tell everybody about for the rest of my life. Playing at Fenway was easily the coolest thing I've ever experienced playing football."
The winning touchdown was scored by North Andover senior Jack Ferullo, a 13-yard run with 2:23 left in the game, his second score.
"Getting the chance to compete at one of the most legendary stadiums in the world in front of thousands of people is something I will never forget," said Ferullo. "The best part of it all was when we first ran out onto the field and got to soak in all the emotions that surrounded us. Playing football at Fenway Park was definitely one of the coolest experiences I've had in my life so far."
Brown, an outfielder who is committed to play baseball at UMass Lowell, was struck by the iconic Green Monster.
"The first thing that came to mind was, 'How do people hit it over that wall?'" said Brown, who threw for 195 yards and three touchdowns on Tuesday.
Added Andover receiver/defensive back Tyler Fabbri: "Playing at Fenway was something my teammates and I will never forget. The emotions were high from the start of the bus ride all the way until the last play. It was so special to be able to play at Fenway for my last game ever with some of my best friends."
North Andover's win tied the young Thanksgiving rivalry at 3-3. The Scarlet Knights have won three of the last four holiday meetings.
"Playing at Fenway was one of the most surreal experiences of my life, especially playing against Andover," said Knights lineman David Cooperstein. "For our seniors, it was the only way we wanted to go out, beating Andover. The emotions were extremely high and the expectation was a win, and it happened. I wouldn't want to go out any other way than beating our rivals at Fenway Park."
TWITTER: DWillisET
