Summer is arriving, and so the lights of Eugene V. Lovely Field, Dunn Gym and all over Andover High have gone dark as students receive a well-deserved break.
But before vacation arrived, the Golden Warriors delivered another stellar spring, creating memories that will stay with Andover High fans through the warm weather and beyond the start of fall sports.
Here is a look at some of the most memorable, thrilling and record-setting athletes and achievements from the 2009 Andover High spring season.
Thanks for the memories.
Arms race
Most teams are lucky to have one ace pitcher. But Andover boasted a pair of arms that struck fear into hitters in twin towers John Farrell and Shawn Carlson.
There was plenty of hype surrounding Williams & Mary-bound Farrell after a junior season highlighted by a 15-strikeout game against Beverly. But he was even better this season. The righty, with a low-90's fastball and a slider, finished the year 5-4 with a stellar 0.81 ERA and 95 strikeouts. The latter two led the Eagle-Tribune area.
When the Warriors didn't go with Farrell, they had the benefit of throwing San Jacinto (Texas) Community College-bound Carlson. Also a righty who hits the low 90's with his fastball and throws a slider and 12-to-6 curveball, Carlson ended up 6-0 with a 1.45 and 60 strikeouts.
The two were never better than in the Warriors' run to the Lawrence Invitational crown. First, Farrell struck out 17 in a win over North Andover. Then, Carlson allowed only a run on three hits to Lawrence in the finals.
For their efforts, both were named All-Merrimack Valley Conference.
Raising the bar
For the high jump in Massachusetts girls track this season, the only question was which Andover athlete would win the state title, Moira Cronin or Jessica Salley?
Before this year, the Golden Warriors' girls outdoor record in the high jump (5-4) by Cindy Surrett had stood since 1982.
First, Salley matched the mark, and broke the record with a 5-6.
Cronin then tied the record, and ended up setting a new mark on her way to winning the state crown with a school-best 5-7. Who finished second? Who else but Salley. That was only the start for Cronin, who crushed the mark with a 5-9 at New Englands.
Early in the season, Andover sprung for a taller pole for budding pole vaulter Mark Vetere. But by the time it arrived, the junior was already too advanced for it.
After a stellar winter, Vetere only improved once he took his skills outdoors this season. The soft-spoken star set the Golden Warriors' outdoor record in the vault with a 14-7, and won the All-State crown with a 14-6. His brother Adam is also a standout in the event, taking sixth at All-States.
Comeback kids
He was told by doctors that, if a ball hit his hand the wrong way, the bone would come out of his pinky finger. But Jake Gostanian wasn't being held back from his dream.
Despite a table saw accident that saw him injury two fingers, Gostanian fulfilled his goal of becoming the third Gostanian brother to start in net for Andover High. He ended up starting every game this season, leading the Golden Warriors to a 12-8 record, and he ended the year with a 7.7 goals-against average.
Teammate Josh Torres suffered a shattered left eye socket and cheek bone in soccer. He fought his way back in basketball, and was in full speed in lacrosse, finishing with a team-high 54 points and a career-best 24 goals.
After an eye-popping junior campaign and a record-setting field hockey season, lacrosse star Heather Sullivan was ready for a big year. But injuries took her out for five of the first six games of the season. Once she recovered, however, Sullivan was right back to her old ways. She finished the year with a team-high 54 goals, and was second on the team with 67 points. Also, after a 2-4 start with her out of the lineup, the Golden Warriors won 12 straight after her return.
Junior season was supposed to be Dan Gusovsky's breakout year as catcher for the baseball team. However, a knee injury suffered during preseason workouts turned it into a lost season, as he appeared in just two games.
But this season was different for the backstop. He not only earned the job, he started EVERY game behind the plate for the Golden Warriors, and ended up batting .324 with 14 runs and a team-high 17 RBIs. Also standing out at the plate for Andover were Jake Ponti (.368) and Andrew Ruiz-Henriquez (.367).
After being named All-MVC a year ago, Satin Zarkar was frustrated after she reaggravated a reoccurring ankle injury. But the senior stuck with it, and ended up as a member of Andover's No. 1 doubles team by the end of the season.
M-V-Ps
Matt Washburn may be soft-spoken, but he doesn't need to say much. He did his talking on the court on the way to MVC small volleyball Player of the Year.
The 6-foot-4 middle hitter was named All-MVC a year ago, but took his play to another level this season. He dominated all hitters that crossed his path, and was never better than against archrival Lawrence when he recorded 19 kills and the Golden Warriors bested the Lancers 3-2 to advance to the North finals.
His improvement, along with the work of teammates such as Gary Hinds, Mike Emmons, Andrew Osborne and Tommy Busta, led Andover to an 18-4. That marked their most wins since the 1998 season (also 18).
Heading into this season, Andover girls lacrosse coach John McVeigh said of star Cat Gross: "This is Cat's year. This is her team now."
Gross more than lived up to those expectations. She finished the season with a team-high 81 points and 46 goals, good for second on the team. Both were career-highs, and she was named MVC lacrosse co-Division 1 Player of the Year.
Tennis standout Bjorn Merinder had a challenge living up to his breakout sophomore season. But the junior was up to the task, recording 10 wins at No. 1 singles and earning the MVC boys tennis Player of the Year.
Athletes were not the only to be honored. McVeigh earned girls lacrosse Coach of the Year, Wayne Puglisi was named Division 2 boys lacrosse Coach of the Year and George Sullivan took Division 2 volleyball Coach of the Year, all in the MVC
Title defense
Andover's Rob Martin admits he very nearly didn't run track in high school.
"When I was a freshman I had to make a time capsule for a health class project," he said. "We recently opened them, and I found a note that said, 'MAYBE I'll try track.' I read that line and I wanted to hit myself. I think I made the right decision."
Martin and his teammates ended up surging to victory at the All-State track tournament, following up their All-State title in the indoor season. Mark Vetere, Connor O'Neill, Brendan Crawford and Martin won the 4x400 relay, and the Vetere brothers clinched the title with the pole vault.
Not a bad way to close out the spring season.
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