Ronald Andrews
Graduating class: 1981
Inducted into Hall of Fame: 2022
Hall of Fame Category: Athlete
For the last two of his three varsity seasons at Fairhaven, Ron Andrews was a steady, if not spectacular performer in the sports of football and basket-ball. After dressing for varsity games in both sports as a sophomore, Andrews was a big-time competitor and lettered in both during his junior and senior seasons. In football, Andrews was a two-way back, carry the ball on offense and stopping opposition from his defensive back position.
Twice during the 1980 season the halfback was recognized by the local media for his out-standing play on the football field – the first for his role in a tough 27 – 24 loss at Dighton-Rehoboth when the senior rushed for a team high 124 yards and two touchdowns; the second coming the following month when the co-captain carried the ball for 134 yards and both touchdowns to help the Blue Devils earn their first win of the season, 14 – 0, at Dennis-Yarmouth.
Win, lose or tie, Andrews played a big role in the majority of Fairhaven games in that 2-7-1 season. He led the Blue Devils in scoring points and touchdowns and because of his strong play on the defensive side of the ball, Andrews was named Fairhaven 1980 Player of the Year and selected as a defensive back on The Standard Times 1980 All-Star football team. In addition to scoring a pair of touchdowns in the loss at D-R and the win at D-Y, Andrews found the endzone in a come from behind 14-14 opening night tie at Bishop Stang and in a 7-6 loss at Dartmouth on Thanksgiving Day.
On the basketball court, Andrews had back-to-back banner seasons. As a junior he was part of a six-man offensive rotation. He averaged just under 10 points as a swingman (playing in the front and backcourts) for a team that finished 14-5 to qualify for the postseason tournament. He reached double figures in 8 of the teams first 15 games with a best of 17 coming in a one-point (54-53) loss at New Bedford High.
A year later he was the lone returning player from that six-man rotation and was a one-man wrecking crew in the Blue Devils offensive attack. The team captain took control in the 1980 – 81 opener by scoring a game-high 21 points in a nine point loss to Somerset and reached double figures in 16 of 20 games finishing a disappointing 5-15 season with a team-leading overall scoring average of 16.4 points including 19.1 against Southeastern Massachusetts Conference Division 2 competition.
A highest effort came midway through the season when Andrews connected on a long shot with six seconds left to turn a one-point deficit into a 60-59 win at Falmouth. Andrews finished with a team-high 23 points. That game ignited a string of three straight games of 20 or more points (23, 27 and 27) for the high scoring senior who scored 20 or more points seven times. Perhaps his most satisfying outing came three games into the January portion of the schedule when Fairhaven traveled to Dartmouth and defeated their town rival, 66-63. Andrews was one of four Blue Devils in double figures with 17 points and it was his two free throws with three seconds remaining that sealed the victory.