RHS football team puts it all together in rout of Gloucester
The Revere High football team dominated in all three phases of the game — special teams, offense, and defense — to earn a runaway 38-8 triumph over perennial Northeastern Conference powerhouse Gloucester Friday evening before a delighted packed house of Patriot fans at Harry Della Russo Stadium.
Other than Revere’s recent victories over archrival Winthrop on Thanksgiving Day, Friday evening’s pummeling of Gloucester rates as the most satisfying triumph earned by an RHS football team in many years.
“We were locked-in from the opening kickoff,” said RHS head coach Lou Cicatelli. “Gloucester beat us twice last year, once in the regular season and then in the playoffs. We had circled this game at the very start of the pre-season as one of our main goals for a successful 2019 season.”
The Patriots took control from the outset and never looked back when senior Joe Llanos — who had a monster game — took the opening kickoff and raced 84 yards for a touchdown, sending the RHS fans, many of whom still were settling into their seats. into a frenzy.
Ryan Riazi, one of the best kickers in the state, then successfully drilled the conversion for a quick-as-a-flash 7-0 Revere lead. Ryan was perfect on the night, going 5-for-5 on PAT attempts and booting a 38 yard field goal.
With the Revere defense stifling the usually-powerful Gloucester T-formation attack, the Patriots added to their lead when quarterback Calvin Boudreau, who had a career-best performance (12-for-17 for 150 yards and two touchdowns) found Billy Ginepra for a 17-yard TD pass to make it 14-0.
With the Revere “D” remaining in dominant mode, the Revere offense got the ball back and went to work, adding to the Patriot lead thanks to a 68-yard scamper by Llanos, who was both too strong and too fast for the overmatched Fishermen defenders. Joe ended up wth with 250 yards rushing on 13 attempts with two scores. He also had an interception on defense from his safety position.
Llanos also had a 60-yard run for a touchdown called back when the ref threw a flag for a questionable block-in-the-back penalty.
“Joe is the real deal,” said Cicatellli of the senior, who moved to Revere from Attleboro at the start of his junior year. “He broke his leg in the third game last season, so we never really got to see what he can do.”
Riazi capped the Revere scoring in the opening half with his 38-yard field goal. The lone highlight of the game for Gloucester came with less than two minutes to go in the half when a Fisherman running back coming out of the backfield scored on a 40-yard pass-and-run play.
That cut the Patriot lead to 24-8 at the intermission, but that would be as close as Gloucester would get the rest of the way.
The Revere defense continued with its stalwart play and Boudreau hit Lucas Barbosa with a 38-yard pass to cap a 60-yard drive, increasing the Revere advantage to 31-8 after three periods.
Cicatelli was able to use his bench in the fourth quarter and the Patriot reserves added another TD when junior Attebi Adetayo bolted through the Gloucester defense for a 21-yard scoring burst.
“That was about as perfect a game as any that I’ve coached,” said Cicatelli. “We know we have a lot of things to work on, but all-in-all, it was an amazing way to start our season.”
The Patriots will entertain Peabody this Friday evening for another episode of the 2019 season of Friday Night Lights at Harry Della Russo Stadium. The once-proud Tanners’ football program has been resurgent in recent years and Peabody is coming off a 52-0 romp over Salem last week.
“We know this will be another big challenge for us,” said Cicatelli. “Peabody is a strong team. It should be a good football game.”
The opening kick-off is set for 6:30 p.m.
Bettero scores five goals to lead RHS girls soccer to 7-3 win
Carolina Bettero reached the back of the Everett net five times to lead the Revere High girls soccer team to a 7-3 triumph over the Lady Crimson Tide in their season-opener last week.
Sophomore Sofia Choqri and freshman Nahomy Martinez also scored goals, as the Lady Patriots controlled the play and finished their opportunities with deadly accuracy.
Keepers Camila Perez and Gisselle Sepulveda split the action in net, with each making five saves on the day.
“We had great defense and moved the ball really well,” said RHS head coach Megan O’Donnell. “Everyone on the team got into the game. It was a well- played game, but we have a lot to work on going forward this season.”
O’Donnell and her crew have a busy week. They were set to entertain Somerville this past Monday and will hop over the Mystic River to play at Charlestown today (Wednesday).
The Lady Patriots will stay on the road at O’Bryant High tomorrow (Thursday) and at Medford next Monday before returning home to host Malden next Wednesday.
RHS field hockey now stands at 4-0-1
The Revere High field hockey team, which now stands at 4-0-1, continued to forge the best-ever start to a season in the program’s history with a 1-0 victory over Malden this past Saturday at Harry Della Russo Stadium.
“Our girls fought well this game, but Malden fought back harder than last time, seeking revenge,” said RHS head coach Briana Scata, referring to Revere’s 4-0 win over the Lady Golden Tornadoes in the opening week of the season.
“The game went well,” said Scata. “We had many shots on goal and many opportunities, but we just couldn’t get our shot angle right, often going wide of the net.”
Revere’s leading scorer, Katie O’Donnell, found the back of the net yet again for her eighth goal of the season. Skyla DeSimone earned the assist on O’Donnell’s game-winning shot.
RHS goalie Chloe Giordano recorded her fourth shutout of the year.
“So far, only one goal has been scored on Chloe in the five games we have played,” noted Scata, a former Lady Patriot goalie. “I don’t know of any prior goalie who has done that at RHS — certainly not myself!”
Scata and her crew will play at Everett tomorrow (Thursday) and at Wakefield next Monday.
RHS volleyball team wins first three matches
The Revere High volleyball team is off to a fast start in its 2019 season, rolling to three victories in as many matches. Coach Lianne Mimmo’s squad took the measure of Saugus (3-1), Everett (3-0), and Watertown (3-1).
Patriot middle hitter Isabella Martinez has been a dominant force at the net. Isabella has been racking up the kills, with nine against Saugus, 10 against Everett, and 14 against Watertown.
Patriot setter David Del Rio has been stellar in the early season, dishing out double-digit assists in each match.
Mimmo also had words of praise for her trio of captains, Lynzie Anderson, Briana Popp, and Olivia Winsor, for their key contributions to Revere’s winning ways.
“They are setting the standard for good leadership and composure,” said Mimmo. “Lynzie and Brianna, also contribute with great blocks and kills at outside hitter, as does Olivia at middle hitter.”
Mimmo and her crew were set to take on Greater Boston League rival Somerville this past Monday and non-league foe the Academy at Penguin Hall in Wenham yesterday (Tuesday). They will play at Medford next Monday and host Malden next Wednesday.
RHS girls compete in GBL pre-season meet
The Revere High girls cross country team will open its 2019 season today (Wednesday) when the Lady Patriots host Everett at the local course.
Coach Katie Sinnott’s squad participated in the Greater Boston League Open last week in which all of the GBL schools competed in a pre-season, unofficial race for both the varsity and junior varsity teams.
“Although the GBL Open is not a scoring meet, it was good to see the other teams in the league,” said Sinnott. “There are some strong runners throughout the league and we look forward to head-to-head competition.”
Participating in the JV race for Revere were Guadalupe Alvardo, Butayna Amine, Maria Ferreira, Keneisha Germain, and Camila Sposito.
Participating in the varisty race were Carly Bennett, Salome Gezehagn, Nawal Khan, Maajda Louaddi, and Soleil Young.
“Erika Cheever, Salma Hazimeh, and Yulissa Santana Baez were unable to attend the race, but are eager to begin the season,” noted Sinnott.
The RHS cross country teams will be trying out a new home course that is centered near the high school.
“Our old course at Belle Isle had too many concerns with mosquitoes and permitting,” said Sinnott.
After today’s race with Everett, Sinnott and her crew will trek to Somerville next Wednesday.
RHS boys impressive at cross country meet
The Revere High boys cross country team appears primed to enjoy a successful season in its re-entry into the Greater Boston League. Coach Mike Flynn’s squad competed in the Greater Boston League Open at Macdonald Park in Medford last week and raced past the competition.
The Patriots’ top five runners garnered places 2-6 among the 36 boys who competed at the meet. Victor Pelatere was the first Revere runner across the line in second place in a time of 16:08 over the 2.51 mile varsity course.
He was followed in short order by teammates Christian Madrid (16:09), Fabio Tran (16:10), Wilfredo Martinez (16:10), and James Carpinelli (16:19).
“I asked the boys to run as a pack and they did a great job,” said Flynn.
Other members of the varsity team who competed in the race were Carlos Quintanilla (13th place in 16:45), Antony Arias (15th in 17:20), Michael Adolphus (21st in 17:43), Ali Ragb (22nd in 17:46), and freshman Vincent Nicholas, who was running in his first-ever cross country meet (27th in 19:50).
In the 1.7 mile junior varsity race, two RHS boys competed among the field of 41 runners: sophomore Miguel Leonard (13th place in 12:44) and freshman Brandon Shanley (14th in 12:45).
Flynn and his squad will meet Everett today (Wednesday) in their first dual meet contest of the season.
RHS golf team has three matches
The Revere High golf team played three matches this past week, two of which were a home-and-home series with Greater Boston League rival Somerville.
Last Wednesday the Patriots took on a shorthanded Lynn English opponent and earned a 53-19 win. Captain Dante Raffa tied his match with his English opponent in the number one slot, 4.5-4.5.
Michael Hayes, playing at number two, scored three points; Michael Marchese won four points at number three; and William Ly defeated his English counterpart at number four, 5.5-3.5.
In the first contest with Somerville last Thursday, the Patriots came up on the short end of a 51.5-20.5 decision.
Among the highlights for Revere, senior Michael Marchese, playing at number three, tied his match, contributing 4.5 points to the Patriots’ total.
Freshman Ryan Willett, playing in his first varsity match in the eight slot, came up just short on the last hole of his nine-hole match, but still contributed four points for the team.
In the rematch held Monday at the Pats’ home course at Cedar Glen, sophomore Alexio Trichillo, who is new to golf this year, played in the number five slot and earned two points for Revere.
Junior Steven Leone, also new to golf, scored 3.5 points as the number seven golfer for the team.
Senior captain Dante Raffa, playing in the number one spot, scored three points against the best player on the Highlanders’ team.
“Dante improved his point total from last match against Somerville by 2.5 points,” noted RHS head coach Brandon Pezzuto.
Senior Michael Marchese stepped up for the Pats and played the number two spot for the first time in his high school golf career and contributed two points to the RHS effort.
“Michael’s work ethic on improving his game is certainly beginning to pay off,” said Pezzuto.
The Patriots are scheduled to trek to Salem on Friday. They will host Medford at Cedar Glen on Monday and will play at Malden on Tuesday.
