Revere Football Star Elkaouakibi is Heading to Stonehill College

Elmahdi Elkaouakibi will leave the Revere High School football program as one of its best linemen ever – and one of its most unheralded stars.

Revere High football, like all athletic programs, was denied a regular football season in 2020 due to the pandemic. There was an abbreviated spring season, and no traditional Thanksgiving game against Winthrop was held.

And after Elkaouakibi and Company, led by head coach Lou Cicatelli, posted a 6-2 record in 2021 and finished a strong second to Everett in the Greater Boston League, there was no playoff berth due to the controversial new playoff ranking system. To their credit, Elkaouakibi and the Patriots regrouped and defeated Winthrop, 16-13, in a classic at Della Russo Stadium to finish an outstanding 8-2 season.

Monday at the Roland Ferullo Fieldhouse, Elkaouakibi signed his national letter of intent to attend Stonehill College where the big and talented, 6-foot, 4-inch, 315-pound athlete will be continuing his football career.

Coach Lou Cicatelli, Athletic Director Frank Shea, and Elmahdi’s teammates were on hand and personally congratulated Elkaouakibi on his honor of receiving a college scholarship. Shea organized another special ceremony for the occasion, bringing pride to an athletic program that has soared under his leadership.

“This accomplishment couldn’t have happened to a better family or a nicer kid,” praised Lou Cicatelli. “He was a great captain and leader for our team. We ran a lot of plays behind him on offense. For a big guy, he can really move well, and I think that’s what impressed college football coaches. Elmahdi will do very well at Stonehill. It’s an excellent Division 2 college football program. Any time Revere High can send a player onto college football, it’s a win-win for the athlete, the coaches – it’s great stuff.”

Elkaouakibi was joined at the signing table by his proud parents, Karim Elkaouakibi and Fadila Hassouni, and his sister, Reem Elkaouakibi. The family is of Moroccan descent.

“I came to the United States back in 1999 when I was 20 years old,” said Karim. “I’m proud of my son. He put a lot of hard work in to get to this stage. He was really serious about being a football player. I was backing him up 100 percent in his goals and he knew that. His coaches, his friends, his teammates, and the whole school all played a role in his success. They were pushing him and helping him to choose the best road. They were a team on the field and off the field.”

“I wish him good luck in college,” said his mother, Fadila.”

Reem, a sixth grade student at the Garfield School, added, “I’m really proud of my brother.”

Selecting Stonehill

A very good student, Elkaouakibi had several options for college including Valparaiso University, Pace, Long Beach State, Fitchburg State, and Framingham,  but he ultimately chose Stonehill which is located in North Easton.

“I picked Stonehill because they offered me a great opportunity,” said Elkaouakibi. “They showed a lot of interest when I visited the campus. The coaches are amazing people. They were very welcoming. The school is also close to home and it feels like home.”

Elkaouakibi is projected as an offensive lineman at the college level. “Hopefully, I will be a starting offensive lineman – that’s the dream. But anyplace on the field is fine with me.”

At Revere High, Elkaouakibi was a three-year starter at left offensive tackle and also played defensive tackle as a senior. He was named as a Greater Boston League All-Star.

Elkaouakibi said he made his debut in organized sports as a football player at Revere High.

“I had never played football before high school,” said Elkaouakibi, who attended the Lincoln School and Rumney Marsh Academy. “The school system has done a lot for me, and I appreciate everything all my teachers have done for me. My favorite teacher is my physics teacher, Josh Miranda.”

As for playing football for Coach Lou Cicatelli and his staff, Elmahdi said, “It was an amazing experience, and that’s why I want to play football in college.”

Elkaouakibi was hoping for a playoff berth for Revere last fall. “It was my dream to play in the playoffs, but it was still a great season with one of the best records in school history, and no matter what, I cherished every moment playing for Revere High,” said Elkaouakibi. “And beating Winthrop was my favorite moment of the year.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.