D’Andrea is winner of Fitzpatrick

PORTLAND – Portland High’s Joe D’Andrea became the 25th winner of the James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy Saturday night.

The tailback, who rushed for 1,401 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, was named the state’s best Class A schoolboy football player at a banquet in Portland, beating out fellow finalists Tim Lawson of South Portland and Andrew Powers of Marshwood.

D’Andrea finished his career as the Bulldogs’ second all-time leading scorer and finishing with close to 4,000 career rushing yards.

He is also Portland High’s third player to win the Fitzpatrick Trophy, which is named for the school’s late, longtime athletic director and football coach. Mike Rutherford and Shaun Hawkins won the trophy in 1982 and 1983, respectively.

The award will be opened to all schoolboy football players for the first time next year, according to a decision by the Fitzpatrick Trophy committee this fall.