Andover–Exeter rivalry

First meeting1878
Andover 22, Exeter 0Latest meeting2023
Exeter 47, Andover 20StatisticsAll-time recordAndover leads, 75–57–10 (.563)Largest victoryExeter, 78–7 (1914)Longest win streakAndover 8 (1905–1912)Current win streakExeter 3 (2021–present)

The Exeter–Andover rivalry (also known as the Andover–Exeter rivalry) is an academic and athletic rivalry between Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter) and Phillips Academy (Andover). It bears many similarities of tradition and practice (as well as athletes) to the Harvard–Yale rivalry. Exeter traditionally educated its students as a feeder school for Harvard, much as Andover traditionally educated its students for Yale. Today, Phillipians and Exonians continue to matriculate in large numbers to both Harvard and Yale, as well as many other top universities. The athletic rivalry between these two schools began with baseball, and football soon followed the same year. Today the two schools face each other in several sports every fall, winter, and spring trimester.

The Game is America's longest continuing prep football rivalry.

The two schools were also two of the three schools (the other, Lawrenceville), who became the three first schools in the United States to form secondary school lacrosse teams in 1882.^[1][2]

Ranked the two most elite^[3] private schools in the United States, the student bodies and staff also share a rivalry over the distinction of being better than the other in this respect. Indeed, the rivalry is strengthened a great deal by the reputations of historic and current academic excellence upheld by both schools. This has been covered extensively by third party observers (see: Is Phillips Exeter or Andover better?).

History

Exeter defeated Andover 12–1 in the first ever baseball game played between these two academies on May 22, 1878. Andover, in turn, defeated Exeter 22–0 in football on November 2, 1878. One of Exeter's most memorable football games took place in 1913 with a 59–0 victory over Andover. One of Andover's most memorable football games took place more recently, when Andover reciprocated with a matching 59–0 victory over Exeter in 1952. The current teams are coached by yas (Exeter) and Mo (Andover). Former Exeter athlete and student, Ethan Klein, gained notoriety for his pivotal offensive action during the fourth quarter of the 2023 season's significant game upheaval. The play lives on as simply “The Block” among students today.

Football matches

References

External links

• Phillips Exeter Academy web site
• Phillips Academy web site