Sports 06-03-2015

RhS sports Roundup

RHS softball team opens play in state tournament Friday

The Revere High softball team will embark on its quest to repeat as the Division 1 North champions of the MIAA state softball tournament when they will host the winner of the Malden vs. Billerica contest Friday afternoon at the St. Mary’s parish field.

Coach Joe Ciccarello’s crew is the sixth seed in the 25-team D-1 North with a 15-5 record. If they prevail in their initial tourney tilt, they most likely will face Chelmsford, the third seed (which itself is awaiting the winner of the Lincoln-Sudbury vs. Westford Academy contest), early next week in a rematch of their tourney battle of 2014.

Ciccarello’s Lady Patriots prepped for what they hope will be another exciting tourney run with a 15-0 triumph over Waltham on Senior Night last Friday evening. The contest was scoreless entering the bottom of the fourth when Revere exploded for 15 runs, all of which came with two outs. Captain and four-year starter Kristina Stella was a one-girl wrecking crew in the inning, with two doubles and a single, good for three RBI, in her three trips to the plate in the frame. Kristina also had another hit earlier in the contest for a perfect 4-for-4 night. Freshmen Victoria Correia and Alina Giuliano also wielded big bats in the inning with a pair of base hits and two RBI apiece.

RHS pitcher Sabrina Palermo dominated the visitors, fanning 11 opponents in five innings of work (the contest was called after the Waltham fifth because of the mercy rule).

“It was a nice win, especially on Senior Night, and everybody hit the ball hard,” said Ciccarello.

However, the Lady Patriots did not have anywhere near the same degree of success 12 hours later when they trekked to Medford, the Greater Boston League champion, and dropped a 3-0 decision.

“Medford is a very good team and has an exceptional pitcher,” said Ciccarello. “In a way, this loss worked to our advantage because it emphasized to us that we’ll need to play ‘small ball’ in the tournament and that’s a phase of the game we’ll be working on all this week.”

So as the 2015 edition of the Lady Patriot softball team — which already has set a new standard by becoming the first Revere High athletic team to win consecutive NEC championships — prepares to embark on another new Journey to the Tourney, Cicarello, his players, and their fans have their sights set on even loftier goals.

Palermo named NEC’s MVP; Stella Russo all-conference

The post-season accolades for members of the Northeastern Conference champion Revere High softball team got underway this week with the announcement Tuesday of the NEC all-conference (North and South divisions combined) and all-star teams (one each for the North and South).

All three of the Lady Patriot senior captains, Sabrina Palermo (pitcher), Kristina Stella (shortstop), and Victoria Russo (second base) were selected by the league’s coaches for All-Conference honors.

In addition, Palermo was chosen as the NEC’s MVP. “Sabrina has been the MVP runner-up the past two seasons, so it is fitting that she finally earned the award this season,” said RHS head coach Joe Ciccarello of his outstanding senior pitcher who has led the Lady Patriots to a pair of consecutive NEC North Division titles and to the MIAA North Sectional championship last year.

“All three of the seniors, Sabrina, Kristina, and Victoria, have been great leaders and role models for our younger players,” added Ciccarello. “They truly are All-Conference players, the best of the best, in every respect.”

Other Lady Patriots who earned the plaudits of the NEC coaches were junior catcher Julianna Cecere, junior third baseman Ally Hinojosa, and freshman outfielder Victoria Correia, who were chosen to the North Division All-Star team. “Their selections were well-deserved,” noted Ciccarello. “All three girls played pivotal roles in our championship season.”

Shanbar competes in Division 1 state meet

Lady Patriot track & field star Rachel Shanbar competed in Saturday’s Division 1 State Meet held at Greater Lowell High School. Rachel, the lone state qualifier among the Patriot boys and girls track teams, participated in her chief specialty, the discus, with a toss of 87’-3”, equaling her personal record. Rachel had earned a fourth place medal in last week’s Northeastern Conference Meet.

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