Building a tradition: Andover Central defends new stadium with late-game theatrics
.JPG "Andover Central’s Kyle Kohman")
Drew Daniels’ right palm helped send Jaguar Stadium into an era 18 years in the making.
The Andover Central senior lineman was in the middle of the scrum as Goddard went for a game-tying point after attempt. He jumped as the ball was kicked, and his block helped preserve an eventual 34-26 home win over previously undefeated Goddard.
The Jaguars unveiled their first on-campus stadium since the school’s first football season in 2002. They are 2-0 in that stadium, and when Daniels blocked that kick, he turned to the home stands.
“To have our own stadium and be undefeated to this point here, it’s crazy,” Daniels said. “We’re trying to build a huge family here. Student section showed that. Parents showed that. Sidelines showed that. We’re trying to build something really special right here.”
For the past 18 years, the Andover Central football team has had to load its equipment on a bus and drive across town to play across the street from Andover High. Using the locker room of the Jags’ biggest rival never felt like home, so now Central has something to defend.
Central coach Derek Tuttle said that has added a chip on his players’ shoulders, but that isn’t the only reason the Jaguars are motivated and 3-0 in 2020.
Last year, Central reached the Class 4A state championship game. Although the Jaguars lost 68-7, that team was considered one of if not the greatest team in school history. They raised the bar for the 2020 team, a bar that some considered to be too high.
“We lost a lot of key players from last year: Trey (Degarmo), Xavier (Bell), Matt (Macy), Shomari (Parnell),” Daniels said. “We’re trying to prove a point and show that even without them, we can still put up numbers and win big games.”
One of those Jaguars forced to step up this season is senior quarterback Chase White. He was outstanding Friday night. He threw for two touchdowns, and both were in style. The first came with three seconds left in the first quarter. He hit Jack Bell from his own 3-yard line. Bell turned around his defender and went 97 yards to take the lead.
After Goddard receiver Soren Carr scored to snatch the lead back, Andover Central trailed 13-7 at halftime. Early in the third quarter, after White converted a 4th-and-1 quarterback sneak to preserve the drive, he delivered perhaps the best ball of the night.
He rolled to his left and found senior reciever Kyle Kohman in the back corner of the end zone. Kohman dragged his foot. With the Goddard defender closing on the ball, Kohman ripped it away and pointed it to the sky. Andover Central took the lead and never gave it up.
“We just came out and showed what Central is all about,” White said.
Goddard had a shot.
After Daniels’ lead-preserving block on a point after attempt, Central running back Ashton Barkdull went about 65 yards to seemingly put the win on ice. The Jaguars went up 34-26 with 1:44 to play.
Goddard fielded to ensuing kickoff and drove the field. On a 4th-and-10 from the Andover Central 17 yard-line, Goddard senior quarterback found Carr in the back left corner of the end zone. No defender was within 10 yards, but the ball sailed long. Central took over and took a knee.
“It made my heart skip a beat for a second,” Tuttle said. “... This stadium helps build our tradition. We’ve never had home games technically, so they feel pretty good. This is pretty special.”
For the past few seasons after every Jaguar football victory, one player would lead a chant called. He would look to the home fans and say things like, “You be careful in that jungle.” He would say, “It’s a place to fear.”
Friday night, White led that chant, and when he said, “Victory is right here,” and thumped his chest, he didn’t mean across town at a stadium that was never truly theirs. He meant victory was in his backyard.
“We’re not going to lose at home,” White said. “I’ll tell you that right now.”