Spring Sports Season in Full Swing for RHS Teams

RHS girls tennis team defeats Saugus

The Revere High girls tennis team earned its first victory of the season with a hard fought 4-1 win over Saugus, a rival from the South Division of the Northeastern Conference, Monday.

Captain Cristina DiFabio, playing at No. 2 singles, pulled out the grittiest match of the day for the Lady Patriots, coming back from a 4-6 loss in the first set to take the next two sets, 6-2, 7-6, with a 6-3 tiebreaker in the third set deciding the match.

“Cristina played a great match,” said RHS head coach Carla Maniscalco. “It was nice to see her battle back after losing the first set.”

Sophomore Sara Grujic was a winner at third singles in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1. The Lady Patriot doubles tandems of Captain Samantha Harris and Venous Hamza at first doubles and Nancy Nguyen and Mariah Rivera at second doubles also triumphed over their Saugus counterparts in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-1 respectively.

Senior Mounia El-Arar, playing at first singles, fell by a score of 6-7 (2-7) and 1-6.

The Lady Patriots previously were edged by former Greater Boston League rival Malden in their season opener last Thursday, 3-2, in a tightly-battled affair. DiFabio was a winner in her second singles slot, 6-4, 6-1, and Grujic triumphed in three tough sets, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-4.

The other three matches all were close, with tiebreakers proving decisive in each. El-Arar fell 2-6, 6-7 (4-7), Harris/Hamza battled to a 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 4-6 near-standoff; and Nguyen/Rivera were edged 4-6, 6-7 (4-7).

Maniscalco and her crew will be back in action today (Wednesday) at Lynn Classical and then trek to Malden next Tuesday and to Winthrop next Wednesday.

Boys tennis team edged in opener

The Revere High boys tennis team dropped a closely fought contest to former Greater Boston League rival Malden, 3-2, in their season opener last week.

Both of the Patriot doubles teams emerged victorious. The first doubles tandem of Soun Lee and Duong Nguyen topped their Malden foes in three sets, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, and the second doubles duo of Sela Leng and William Truong similarly triumphed in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

Senior Nick Tran, playing at No. 1 singles, fell by a 6-2, 6-2 margin. Junior Mladen Pepic fell to his Malden counterpart at second singles, 6-4, 7-5. Nick Mucci came close to a victory, but came out on the short end of a three setter, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, at third singles.

Coach Mike Flynn and his crew were set to be back in action today (Wednesday) at Lynn English and travel to Salem tomorrow.

Softball team plays well in season opener

Sophomore Noelle MacDonald, who was told she would be the starting pitcher just minutes before game time, pitched seven strong innings and fellow sophomore Logan DiCarlo went 4-for-4, but the Revere High softball team came out on the short end of a 7-2 decision to Westford Academy in the season opener last Tuesday.

“Noelle showed what a tough performer she is,” said RHS head coach Joe Ciccarello. “When we told her she would be starting, she just said, ‘Give me the ball,’ and she went out and pitched a heckuva’ game.”

Freshman Sabrina Palermo had been tabbed by Ciccarello to be his starting hurler, but an errant throw during the pre-game warmups struck Sabrina in the head, causing her to lose consciousness briefly. “Sabrina is okay, but we could not take any chances,” said Ciccarello.

The contest was a close, 2-1 affair in the early going in favor of Westford, but some costly fielding miscues opened the floodgates, allowing Westford to send across five markers in the fourth. MacDonald deserved a better fate, as she spun a one hitter going into the fourth and eventually yielded just eight hits over the seven inning route.

DiCarlo showed why she will be one of the top performers in the Northeastern Conference this season with her four hit effort. Logan scored both of the Revere runs, with teammate Michaela Maguire bringing her across on both occasions.

The Lady Patriots were set to be back on the diamond yesterday (Tuesday) at Waltham Ciccarello and his crew trek to Beverly today; to Lynn Classical Friday; and to Lynn English Monday.

RHS baseball team drops opening pair

The Revere High baseball team came out on the short end of both of its contests in the opening week of the season, falling to Newburyport Friday, 10-4, and then to Weston Monday, 15-3, in non league contests.

Sophomore Tom Portrait opened the season on the mound for new RHS head coach Nick Faggas on Friday, tossing six strong innings before being lifted when he reached the 100 pitch count. Portrait yielded just two hits and fanned four enemy hitters, but three errors allowed Newburyport to erase what had been a 1-0 Revere lead and move out to a 5-1 advantage in the sixth.

However, the Patriots fought back and rallied for three markers in their half of the sixth frame, with two baggers by Noah Jaynes and Jim Ortiz delivering the RBIs. However, Mark Maloney was tossed out at the plate with the potential tying run on Ortiz’s double, ending the Patriot rally.

Newburyport then put up five tallies in the seventh for the 10-4 finale.

Monday’s contest with Weston saw the Patriots grab an early 1-0 advantage when Portrait doubled, stole third, and came home on a ground out by R.J. Tiorano. Jaynes, a freshman with what Faggas calls “an incredibly live arm,” pitched two shutout frames in his first varsity start, but Weston pushed across seven markers in the third to take control of the contest.

“We have a lot of work to do,” said Faggas, “but if our younger players continue to work hard and put in the effort, we will improve as the season progresses.”

The Patriots will get into the iron of their Northeastern Conference schedule this week, starting today at Lynn Classical and Friday. at Beverly.

They host Lynn English Monday on the holiday at 10:00 and entertain Salem next Wednesday at 10:00.