Battle of the Berry Brothers

Last season's football game against Harvard took sibling rivalry to a whole new level. As quarterback Jeff Terrell '07 found senior wide receiver Brendan Circle on a crossing pattern for the go-ahead touchdown, junior wide receiver Adam Berry provided a key block to spring Circle into the end zone. The cornerback whom Berry fended off was none other than his twin brother Andrew. Without that effort the game might have ended differently, and it has certainly set the stage for a big matchup this weekend.

"We're going to Harvard to win," Adam said.

Andrew, however, is a bit subtler in his prediction.

"I think it's going to be a pretty competitive game Saturday," Andrew said. "I can't really say anything until after we win."

Perhaps this subtlety comes from being the quieter twin — according to his brother, anyway.

"A lot of my friends like to say I'm antisocial," Adam said. "But Andrew takes it to a whole other level. He's not on Facebook.com or the Harvard facebook or in the Harvard telephone directory." Despite this "antisocial" behavior, both Berrys are well-liked by their teammates and coaches, and not just for their play on the field.

"I couldn't recommend a kid higher," Harvard defensive coordinator Kevin Doherty said. "[Andrew's] very classy and down to earth. He's genuine, likable, he communicates well and he gets A's on everything. He gets A's in the classroom, but he gets A's in everything else."

Adam garners just as much respect from his teammates and coaches.

"I love the intensity with which he approaches everything in his life. He gives it everything he has in everything that he does. It's no surprise to see the success that has followed him," senior captain and wide receiver Brendan Circle said.

At first glance, the fraternal twins seem almost identical. Both were recruited to Ivy League schools; both are economics majors. Andrew is also majoring in computer science, however, while Adam is picking up certificates in African American studies and political economy. Both are very independent — they always planned on splitting up for college — but they never planned on attending schools in the Ivy League.

"If you'd told me four years ago I'd be at Princeton (Harvard)," they both said, "I wouldn't have believed you."

For all their similarities, though, it is apparent that the two have very different personalities. For example, Adam is much more vocal on the field than Andrew.

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"He's a little bit nicer on the field than I am," Adam said. "But don't get that confused with him being a pushover or anything like that. He won't trash talk nearly as much as I will, if at all." Adam said.

Adam, though, doesn't limit his teasing and taunting to the field.

"Our banquet was the same night as [Princeton's], and in the middle of it I got a message from Adam," Andrew said. "It was a picture of the Ivy League championship trophy."

"I think I also sent him one once we got our ring," Adam said.

Competing against one another on the field has been a new and strange experience for the twins since they had played on the same team for so long. They had been teammates since middle school, when their father first helped introduce them to organized football.

"Our dad signed us up without telling our mom," Andrew said. "She had always said we were too small and couldn't play until middle school."

It was a good decision on the part of their father. Andrew was a three-year starting quarterback and senior captain at Bel Air High School. Adam played as both a wideout and as a defensive back. Both earned all-county recognition three years in a row, as well as all-state honors their junior and senior years.

This season has seen both brothers make a significant impact on the field. Adam leads Princeton with two touchdown receptions and 240 receiving yards, while Andrew has racked up five pass-breakups, an interception and a fumble recovery for the Crimson. Andrew was also a first-team All-Ivy selection last year at defensive back and the only Ivy League player chosen by College Sporting News as a pre-season first-team All-American selection.

Last season Andrew started seven games at defensive back for the Crimson and logged 25 tackles and one interception, which came against Princeton. Adam caught 17 passes for 236 yards in 2006 and made six special teams tackles.

While both Andrew and Adam are excited for kickoff this weekend, they also think it can't come quickly enough.

"I think both of us kind of dread this week," Adam said. "Every time you do something well or something bad in practice your brother's name gets brought up. Everyone gets a kick out of it, but it's a lot of pressure for both of us. The key is not to look at it as too different of a game. He's just another player, albeit someone who looks like me."