Sports 10-29-2014

RHS sports Roundup

Patriots to meet Masco in first round of playoffs

The Revere High football team will make its first appearance in the post-season for the RHS grid program since the 1973 Super Bowl squad when the Patriots trek to Masconomet Regional High School for a first round contest in the Division 3 Northeast Friday evening. Kick-off time for the Friday Night Lights affair is 7:00.

“One of our objectives at the start of the season was to make the playoffs, and we’ve done that,” said RHS head coach Lou Cicatelli. “Our next goal is to advance beyond the first round.”

The Patriots who are the eighth and final seed in the D-3 Northeast bracket with a 2-5 record, will have their work cut out for them when they meet Masco, the top seed with a 6-1 mark.

“Masconomet is a talented team, as they always are, and they have a lot of size,” noted Cicatelli, who lives in one of the towns served by the Masco school district and whose son and daughter graduated from the school. “We’ll have to execute and do some things differently on offense. But the boys are excited to be in the playoffs and if we play our best, anything can happen.”

The Patriots are coming off a 30-6 loss last Friday to Lynn Classical in which Revere played what Cicatelli termed, “Our worst game of the season in the second half.”

The defenses dominated in the first period, but a quick kick by Classical near the end of the quarter pinned the Pats at their own five yard line. When the Patriot offense was stymied and Revere was forced to punt, a short kick set up Classical at the Revere 25, from where the Rams punched the ball into the end zone with just seconds left in the period.

Classical would embark on three long scoring drives in each of the next three frames before RHS quarterback Dan Murphy got Revere on the board in the final period when he dashed 60 yards on an option read play.

“Danny has been playing better week-by-week,” said Cicatelli. “It’s been a pleasure to watch him improve as the season has progressed. “

The coach praised the defensive efforts of linebacker Anthony DeStefano and defensive back Mike Norton, who together accounted for more than 15 tackles on the night.

If the Patriots win Friday night, they will meet the victor of the Beverly vs. Wilmington contest; if the Pats lose, they’ll meet the loser of the Beverly-Wilmington game.

Boys soccer team  awaits tourney foe

The Revere High boys soccer team, who punched their ticket for a Journey to the Tourney midway through the season, now is awaiting word of their seeding and opening round opponent after having completed their regular season games this past week.

Coach Abdel Rhazi’s squad concluded the 2014 campaign with a 1-0 win over Lynn English last Tuesday and a 4-1 loss to Peabody Friday to finish the year with a fine 8-5-3 record.

Rhazi praised the play of Patriot senior keeper Jesus Landaverde in both contests.  “Jesus played outstandingly in both games,” noted Rhazi. “as he has been doing throughout the season. He has a great attitude and has been a real leader for our team.”

The MIAA is expected to make the announcement of the tournament pairings at the end of this week.

Lady Patriots defeat Cristo Rey, tie English

The Revere High girls soccer team completed its season this past week with a victory and a tie among its final three contests.

In a 6-0 win over Cristo Rey last Monday, senior Danielle Fortuna scored her first career hat trick to pace the Lady Patriot offensive surge. Also reaching the back of the enemy net were senior midfielder Immaculate Langat (Immaculate’s first career goal), freshman Gabby Ortez, and junior defender Joseline Argueta.

Two nights later, the Lady Patriots took on Lynn English in a contest that was highlighted by Senior Night and Breast Cancer Awareness festivities. RHS head coach Meg O’Donnell started her seniors — Fortuna, Langat  Jade Aguilera, Leila Darouey, Vanessa Gutierrez, Elisabeta Kavaja, Fiona Kerthi, Khadidja Lerari, Ariana Licata, Jennifer Mata, and Anela Omerovic — who were honored for their contributions to the RHS girls soccer program.

“Every senior started the game because of all the hard work they put in this season,” said O’Donnell, whose squad battled to a nil-nil standoff with English in a hard-fought encounter. “I want to thank all the seniors for their hard work and I couldn’t be prouder as a coach because of the improvement they have made over the last two months.”

The seniors then finished their high school careers in the season finale last Thursday at Peabody in which they played the entire second half.  “The seniors left everything they had on the field and they will be missed next year,” noted O’Donnell.

In contests during the previous week, some of the Lady Patriot underclassmen displayed their promise for the future. In a tilt with Beverly, O’Donnell praised junior midfielder Vivian Agrueta who, O’Donnell said, “has been showing her true leadership on the field by her ‘no quit’ attitude.”

In a battle at Salem, freshmen Valeria Benitez, Danela Ortez, and Gabby Ortez all had standout games and in a contest with Lynn Classical, freshman Samanda Lmaji earned O’Donnell’s plaudits for her strong play on defense.

Girls cross country

competes in NEC Meet

The Revere High girls cross country team competed in Saturday’s Northeastern Conference League Meet that was held at Bradley Palmer State Park over a 3.1 mile (5K) course, finishing in fifth place out of the seven schools who fielded a complete team.

The top finisher for the Lady Patriots was Hannah Fitzpatrick, who finished 29th overall in a time of 24:08. Suellen Guerreiro was the next Revere girl across the line in 24:37, followed by teammates Jaclynne Dion (36th in 25:10), Trisha Cheever (40th in 25:37), Hayley Mangino (41st in 25:43), Joanna Severino Perez (46th in 26:0), and Nicole Paddock (47th in 26:05).

In addition, four Lady Patriots participated in the junior varsity race which also was a 5K: Monica Posada (50th overall in 27:21), Lani Stevens (61st in 29:09), Lori Brizuela (71st in 31:39), and Megan Erwin (74th in 32:01).

“It was a beautiful day for a race,” said RHS head coach Katie Sinnott. “Many girls were unable to attend due to other school commitments, and my top runner (Vanessa Puopolo) is out for the rest of the season with an injury, so we had a smaller crew than usual.  Despite the bad rains earlier in the week, the course wasn’t too muddy.  But it wouldn’t be a cross country season without a little mud on your shoes.”

Several of Sinnott’s crew will be participating in the State Coaches Invitational Saturday in Wrentham.

RHS boys run

in NEC Meet

The Revere High boys cross country team competed in Saturday’s Northeastern Conference Meet held over the 3.1 mile (5K) course at Bradley Palmer State Park Saturday morning.

Senior Salah Barhoum, the Patriots’ leading runner all season, once again led his teammates across the finish line. Salah came home in a time of 18:50, which as good for 31st place in the large field. Fellow senior Christ Genty was the next Revere runner in 48th place in a clocking of 20:52. Senior Bounlaing Chea finished in 53rd position in 21:12 and senior Fredy Flores was 64th in 22;54.

Coach Mike Flynn’s squad fielded one boy in the junior varsity race, freshman Aston DeRuosi, competing in his first invitational meet, who ran a fine time of 24:53.

Flynn and a contingent of his Patriots will run in the Coaches Invitational in Wentham Saturday and then in the Division 1 State Meet next Saturday, also at the Wrentham training facility.

RHS sports Through the Years

10 years ago

October 27, 2004

Pat Kuzdzal, who started the Revere High field hockey program in 1976, is retiring after 28 years at the helm of the program. Kuzdzal, 55, also is retiring from her post as a physical education teacher in the Revere school system at the end of this school year.

Jose Escobar scored touchdowns on runs of 11 and 13 yards and ran for 114 yards to lead the RHS football team to a 35-21 win over Somerville Friday night at Harry Della Russo Stadium. The win was the third straight for the Pats, who now stand at 4-3 on the year. Emili Digitale also enjoyed a fine night with two TDs and 98 yards rushing. Reggie Royster tossed an 83 yard TD pass to Rob Ottolo for the fifth Revere TD,.

Ryan Burke ran a  career-best time of 15:58 to lead the RHS boys cross country team to a win over Malden.

30 years ago

October 24, 1984

The Revere High football team dropped a 28-6 non-league contest to Quincy Saturday. A 30 yard touchdown reception by Mike Passanisi on the final play of the game accounted for the lone Revere score of the day, breaking a streak of 15 scoreless quarters for coach John Miller’s 2-4 team.

Maria Lochiatto, a graduate of the RHS Class of 1984 who now is playing tennis at the University of Virginia, has been named to the high school All-American tennis team, one of 75 girls selected  to receive that honor. Lochiatto was a co-captain of the two-time state champion RHS girls tennis teams. Her teammate on those squads and fellow 1984 grad, Carla Maniscalco, received Honorable Mention All-American honors.

The RHS boys soccer team moved closer to its first-ever state tourney berth with wins over Somerville and Malden. Steve Haney, Victor Damiano, and John Tenagia (two goals) scored in a 4-2 win over Somerville. Haney and Tenaglia scored two goals apiece in the 4-1 triumph over Malden.

40 years ago

October 23, 1974

The RHS football team fell to 3-2 on the season with a 24-14 loss to a well-balanced Malden team. Both Revere touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, the first on an 18 yard TD pass from Dave Petrilli to fullback Joe DiPlatzi, the other on a 66-yard toss from Petrilli to Tom Corbett.

Victor’s recently captured the Revere Parks and Recreation Women’s Softball title, defeating the B&B Lounge in the best-of-five championship series.

50 years ago

October 22, 1964

Coach Silvio Cella’s unbeaten RHS football team kept its perfect record intact with a thrilling and dramatic 12-7 victory over Lynn Classical in a pouring rain with a miraculous touchdown on the final play of the game. The heavy rain was the principal cause of the game’s close score, as it effectively shut down the vaunted Revere passing attack of quarterback Jim DelGaizo. Revere’s two scores came via the air, the first on a 70 yard reception and run by Bill Cintolo on which Cintolo caught the ball 10 yards downfield and raced the other 60 yards for the touchdown. The winning drive was set up by a fumble recovery by co-captain John Stasio on the Classical 35 yard line with less than a minute to play. DeGaizo went right to work, completing passes to twins Alan and John Drover and moving the ball to the Classical eight with 20 seconds on the clock. Two incompletions left time for one more play, with DelGaizo firing a bullet pass to his brother, John, who made a diving catch of the ball after it had been deflected off the hands of a Classical defender.

60 years ago

October 28 1954

A Saturday morning crowd of 3000 fans saw Coach Silvio Cella’s RHS football team drop their fifth straight game, 19-7, to Watertown. The lone Revere TD came late in the fourth quarter when Dick DeMauro broke through to block a punt and caught the ball in the end zone.

Despite the loss of their key running back, Dick Ross, on the first play of the game from scrimmage, the plucky Immaculate Conception High football team played inspired football to defeat St. Mary’s of Brookine, 13-12. Ross, who also normally dropkicks the PATs for coach Ron Corbett’s squad, instead hobbled onto the field after the second touchdown and fired a pass to Tim Cronin for the crucial extra point that provided the margin of victory. White scored both touchdowns for IC on plunges through the line.

70 years ago

October 26, 1944

The Revere High football team defeated Rindge Tech of Cambridge, 12-6, Saturday. A 60 yard pass from Cerrone to Sarno accounted for the first Revere TD. A 30 yard pass play by the same duo brought the ball to the Rindge five yard line from where Sarno went over for the score.

The Immaculate Conception football team proved no match for a powerful Malden Catholic squad, falling by a score of 27-6. Sweeney scored the lone TD for IC.