RHS Football Team Opens Season Friday Vs. Medford

All systems are go for the Revere High football team, which is set to kick off its 2012 season Friday evening when the Patriots host Medford at 7:00 under the lights at Harry Della Russo Stadium.

“We’ve had a good pre-season and I think we’ll be ready for the opener,” said RHS head coach Lou Cicatelli. “We have outstanding senior leaders and a good team attitude. If we play hard and execute, we should do well.”

Although Revere has had good success in recent years against the Mustangs, Cicatelli said he expects a strong test for his charges Friday evening. “We got a chance to see Medford in the pre-season and they are a much improved team from those of the past few season,” said Cicatelli of the Mustangs, who were a former long-time Greater Boston League rival of the Patriots. “They are a scrappy bunch and we’ll have to be at our best if we want to beat them.”

The Patriots’ strength this year will rest on their offense, which will be under the direction of returning quarterback Joe Ritchie. Ritchie will have a wealth of support in running backs Tom Portrait, Andy Restiano, and Conlen Ajinta and receiver Kyle Gotham, who was one of Ritchie’s top targets last season.

“We moved the ball well in our three-way scrimmage with Northeast Regional and St. Mary’s of Lynn last week,” said Cicatelli. “But we still have a lot of work to do on our defense.”

The Pats escaped the pre-season relatively unscathed in the injury department. However, one big setback was a shoulder injury to senior captain Christian Mojica, who will miss at least the first game.

Boys soccer team opens at Saugus

The Revere High boys soccer team will open its 2012 campaign this Tuesday at Northeastern Conference rival Saugus.

Coach Nik Tower’s Patriots will be seeking to build upon their fine 2011 campaign that saw Revere qualify for the state tournament and then win its first-ever state tournament contest in the history of the boys’ soccer program.

“We’ve had a good pre-season,” said Tower. “We have a strong nucleus of returning players, as well as a group of seniors who did not play last year, but who have come out for this year’s team and who will have a big impact for us.”

The Patriots ran into a strong No. Andover squad in a pre-season scrimmage last week and will journey to Rockport Friday for another pre-season tilt before the season opener.

“We have a good group of boys who are working hard,” said Tower, who said he still is in the process of finalizing his roster. “If we play to our potential, we should have a successful season.”