Meet the Candidates: School Committee

Three candidates, one incumbent, vie for two three-year spots on the North Andover School Committee.

The school budget is in crisis. Low revenues and rising costs are forcing some tough decisions, while North Andover schools work to improve their curriculum and test scores. And three candidates for the School Committee want your vote so they can tackle these issues. But there are only two open seats, so you have to decide. In these videos, the candidates tell you in their own words why they feel they should get your vote.

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The O-Zone

Knight Ballers go for Fifth Straight Win Tomorrow

North Andover will try for an 11-3 record in the Game of the Week; check out the weekly schedule for the rest of the varsity teams.

Tomorrow night, the North Andover Patch Game of the Week will feature the Scarlet Knights  basketball squad, which is coming off a 74-57 drubbing of Lynnfield Sunday afternoon.  The Knights will host Ipswich High School in Crozier Gym at 7 p.m. tomorrow. Ipswich is still seeking their first win as they have started the season off on a dismal 0-8 slide. North Andover is a team in the opposite direction as they are 10-2 on the year and in second place behind Wilmington in Cape Ann’s Division I. For the Knights, Derek Collins and Zach Karalis have the hot hands and will be facilitating the attack. Each had three three-pointers in yesterday's destruction of Lynnfield. North Andover is on a four-game winning streak and has won seven of their …

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Knights Falter in Finals

North Andover’s Cinderella run in 2010 Christmas Tourney falls short in tear-jerking 63-60 loss to Andover.

Even the mighty Scarlet Knights of the gridiron were insulted at Lawrence High School on Thursday night. "Let's play football," chanted the Andover High School students who boast a superior, Division I athletic arsenal. Andover, like an older brother, stifled it's less experienced adversary in the final game of the 2010 Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament with a heartstopping 63-60 win at Lawrence High School. After recovering from a 15 point deficit, North Andover came within a single point of Andover in the final minute. "There was a level of decisiveness in our play that picked up," said North Andover head coach Mike McVeigh, mastermind behind the defending Cape Ann League champions. Andover head coach David Fazio said, "A little …

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No Consolation for Outmatched Knights

Girls hoop squad falls to 52-41 to Lowell, takes fourth in annual Greater Lawrence Christmas Tourney.

For a team to accomplish anything, it must first endeavor some adversity throughout the course of a season. For the 2010-11 edition of the North Andover girls basketball team, that time is now. "It was a tough day for the Knights," said North Andover head coach Susan Breen. The Knights fell 52-41 to the Red Raiders of Lowell High School Wednesday night with third place in the annual Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament on the line at Methuen High School. The disappointment for North Andover came courtesy of the Lowell defense which kept North Andover in check all evening. "We had a tough time getting going," said Breen. "Their defense was just smothering," she said. "They ripped the ball out of our hands… give them a lot of credit." …

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Knight Ballers Whip Wilmington

North Andover marches into Wilmington and improves to 2-0 with a 62-58 triumph over the Wildcats.

The Scarlet Knights hoops squad improved to 2-0 on the young season after a nail biting 62-58 triumph over rival Wilmington. "Masco and Wilmington, those are our biggest rivals," said North Andover head coach Mike McVeigh. "You come out of those games 2-0, you've got to be crazy not to be happy." Defending Cape Ann League Champions North Andover controlled the pace of the game leading by nine at halftime but the Knights let up and allowed Wilmington to snag the lead in the second half. Wilmington came out of the locker room with an 18-11 run in the third quarter to make it a four point game going into the fourth. "I told them in the locker room, it's one possession at a time, that's how you've got to look at it," said Wilmington head coach…

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Scarlet Knight Skaters Open Season with 10-2 Massacre of Cambridge

Cusack and Sweeny lead the way with two goals apiece; Marfione wins first game as North Andover’s head coach.

The Scarlet Knights hockey squad opened up their 2010-2011 campaign with a thorough beating of Division I Cambridge on Wednesday night at Lawler Arena. North Andover began the season ranked #17 in Hockey Night in Boston's Division II preseason poll. A young Knights team played up to the competition and brought them down as the Falcons of Cambridge didn't stand a chance after going down 3-0 in the first period. The Knights had no mercy and piled on seven more in a 10-2 rout. "It was a good team win," said North Andover Head Coach Peter Marfione. Marfione, in his first season coaching the Scarlet Knights, was not dazzled by his team's 10-goal performance. "We're not looking at the total number; we're just looking to play the right way," he …

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Playoff Push: Scarlet Knights One Win Away From Super Bowl

Semifinal Showdown in Lowell Tonight; North Andover (10-1) or Concord-Carlisle (9-2) will go to Gillette for Div. 2A Championship Game.

It will be the first time ever that many North Andover residents will be rooting harshly against a football team called the Patriots. These Patriots hail from Concord-Carlisle, but stand in the way of North Andover's journey to Gillette Stadium, home of another flourishing football franchise. Tonight the Knights will travel to Lowell's Cawley Stadium for a semifinal matchup against 9-2 Concord-Carlisle. For the first time since 2005, the Scarlet Knights are back in the playoffs and are only two wins away from achieving their ultimate goal of capturing a Super Bowl at Foxborough's Gillette Stadium. The Knights hold a well documented ten game winning streak entering the playoffs while Concord-Carlisle answers back with seven game triumph …

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Awesome Autumn: Top Five Reasons for the Fabulous Fall of Sports

Top notch football and hockey programs leading the way in Patch’s fall sports recap.

North Andover is a bigger sports town than people give it credit for. Here are five reasons why North Andover sports had a fantastic fall: Reason #1 – Merrimack College Ice Hockey Warriors A seat at Lawler Arena for a Merrimack College Warriors hockey game is simply the best ticket in town. For $10-$20 you can see future N.H.L. players and the nation's top teams such as B.C., B.U., and other Hockey East Association rivals. Led by head coach Mark Dennehy, who just inked a 6 year contract extension, and future N.H.L. top draft pick Stephane Da Costa, the Merrimack College Warriors proudly sit at #18 in the national rankings. It is the first time in history the school has been in the Division I rankings. "We want a chance to compete for the …

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Leftovers: Three Reasons Scarlet Knights Gobbled Opposition in Regular Season

Patch Celebrates Knights’ Ten Game Win Streak and Best Regular Season Since 2005.

North Andover students and residents have been treated to a dominant and unforgettable 2010 football season thanks to the Scarlet Knights of North Andover High School and their coaching staff lead by John Rafferty. In 2005 the Knights had an 11-0 regular season before falling to Duxbury in the Division 2A Semifinals. This year, the 10-1 Knights head into the Semifinals with the momentum of a ten game winning streak. North Andover's latest victim was their archrival Masconomet on Thanksgiving Day when they marched to a 20-7 victory. After the Knights opened the season with a loss in Andover, they started taking down their foes without mercy. Here is a look at why this regular season will never be forgotten: Sept. 10 – Loss at Andover 21-9 …

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Patch Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Throwdown: North Andover Grinds Out Tenth Straight Win

Masco No Match For Playoff Bound Knights; Final Score 20-7

Just before noon on Thanksgiving morning the town of North Andover was injected with a high dose of football euphoria when the Scarlet Knights hoisted the Turkey Day trophy at their home field, Walsh Stadium. The Knights, already champions of the Cape Ann (Large) Conference, hit Masco on the chin with a 20-7 grinder of a victory.  It was their tenth straight triumph in what has been a marvelous season for the playoff bound North Andover squad. "Great atmosphere… I'm really really happy for our kids, I thought they played well," said John Rafferty, North Andover's Head Coach. Knights quarterback Brandon Walsh was a nightmare for the Masco defense. He completed 13 of 19 passes for 75 yards including a 20 yard touchdown pass to junior Dan …

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