Home sweet home

ANDOVER — The Andover High girls basketball players have developed a new ritual. Before playoff games they have been watching a highlight video of the 2003 championship team's season.

One comical part, they said, is when the video shifts to the crowd and many of the current players see themselves as elementary school kids rooting in the stands.

"Everyone with their painted faces and we were shown in the tape supporting them with signs," senior Cassandra Drivas said. "We thought they were superstars."

Senior Alex Alois added: "We see ourselves as little kids screaming and so excited."

Top basketball talent has been bolting to Catholic and private schools from some of this area's larger high schools. But Andover rarely loses a top player.

Players gave several reasons for staying. One is the strong tradition the program has built over the past decade or so where Andover kids begin attending games at an early age — sometimes as early as 4 years old — and from then on they feel passionate about the program and want to part of it.

Whatever the case might be, coach Jim Tildsley was unable to name more than two talented players his program has lost to private or prep schools over the past 15 years.

One of those players was his own daughter, Kaylan, who led the 2003 Brooks team to the New England Prep B title and was the ISL MVP.

"Probably the only one I would have liked to have stayed was my daughter," Tildsley said, laughing a bit. "I really don't know of any other kids we've lost. Jenn Russell. She went to Brooks but her main sport was lacrosse."

Winning — Andover's state final appearance tomorrow will be its fifth in the last 13 years — begets loyalty to the program and loyalty to the program begets winning.

Meanwhile, other local schools have lost talent. North Andover, for example, lost 6-footers Melissa Miller and Casey McLaughlin to Central Catholic, 6-2 sophomore Katie O'Book to Governor's Academy and 5-9 guard/forward Appalonia Tankersley to Brooks.

Methuen lost Eagle-Tribune Player of the Decade Katie Zenevitch, Brianna Martin and Courtney Williams to Central Catholic.

"I think because the school system is so good we don't have to go to a private school but also the athletics at Andover are at such a high level of competition that there's really no reason for us to leave," said Alois, who went to Catholic school in New Jersey before moving here in the third grade.

Fan first, then player

Star sophomore Nicole Boudreau actually attended Catholic elementary school but never considered going to Central or another Catholic high school.

"I was always coming to Andover games and my dad is good friends with (boys coach) Dave Fazio," she said. "I feel like Andover has continuously had some great players come through like (2008 grad) Meghan Thomann who is at Bentley now. I feel like we have a good winning tradition and I definitely wanted to be a part of it."

Boudreau's favorite Andover player growing up was Merry Fish, an '03 grad, so she made her own Fish jersey by making Fish's last name and number out of masking tape.

Many girls on current team attended games before high school just like Boudreau did.

Seven of Andover's top eight players attended Golden Warriors games as early as middle school.

And each of them also said they had a favorite Andover player growing up.

Boudreau and senior Alicia Scarpa said they even remember asking for autographs.

"After they won in '03, there was a big party at the high school and they handed out these little basketballs and we asked all the players to sign them," Scarpa said.

Star junior Natalie Gomez-Martinez said she started attending games in about fifth grade.

"That's where the tradition starts," she said.

Talented freshman Devon Caveney began attending games as far back as second grade.

"I wanted to play here my whole life," she said. "That's one of the reasons I didn't go to a private school and Andover High has a really good education."

Andover freshman basketball coach Megan Pinksten graduated from Andover in 2002. She also is the junior varsity volleyball coach at North Andover High.

She said that she attended Andover games when she was in middle school and then she remembers some of the current players and recent graduates attending her games when she was in high school and asking her for autograph and to pose with them for pictures.

"There is a tradition of looking up to those older kids and really trying to emulate who they are on the court," said Pinksten, who earned a scholarship to Assumption. There's a tradition we built here that's unlike anywhere else. ... I work at North Andover and I coach volleyball there but there's just something special here."

The cycle

The cycle continues with the young kids now.

Before the Division 1 North title game against Central Catholic, Alois walked into Sanborn Elementary School to pick up her brother and many of the kids rushed up to her and wished her luck against Central.

Some young girl even stopped and asked Boudreau and Gomez-Martinez for their autographs at the TD Garden before the Division 1 state semifinal against Mansfield.

Meanwhile, sophomore Ally Fazio said she noticed a group of elementary school girls going wild during the Mansfield game and it reminded her of how she used to cheer.

The program has brought the fans in by winning. Since Tildsley took over, Andover is 304-52.

Tildsley pointed to the strong education at Andover as one main reason why so many stay instead of attending private schools. And he does not worry about talent bolting.

"If they go, they go," he said. "We have other kids who can replace them."

But he's fortunate so few do leave.

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Keeping top players in town has made Andover a juggernaut

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