The Revere High School football team spotted Winthrop three touchdowns and was unable to overcome its slow start in a 25-6 loss to Winthrop High in the annual Thanksgiving game at Miller Field in Winthrop.
The host Vikings (7-4) turned three turnovers into points and built an 18-0 lead.
“Winthrop just took it to us in the first half. We turned the ball over three times and that set the tone, and it was really tough to climb back,†said Revere head coach Lou Cicatelli.
Revere quarterback Carlos Rizo and receiver Sami Elasri combined for a touchdown pass with 6:10 left in the third quarter to close the gap to 18-6. Elasri made a nifty play to secure the football that was tipped by a Winthrop defender in the end zone.
Revere then appeared to make a big defensive play deep in its own territory when Abbas Attoui scooped up a fumble and had plenty of open space in front of him for a possible “scoop and score†touchdown. But the referee ruled that the Winthrop player did not have possession of the football and the pass was ruled incomplete, much to the dismay of the Revere fans.
“That could have been a turning point or a momentum-booster,†said Cicatelli. “I thought it was a reception and a fumble.â€
Always a credit to high school football and the Revere athletic program, Cicatelli totally refrained from criticizing the referees.
“Winthrop was definitely more physical, and they wanted it more, and they got it,†said Cicatelli. “And defensively, we didn’t really play well.â€
Cicatelli felt that Sami Elasri was a standout for Revere, noting the sparkling TD reception that showed his athleticism.
“The Winthrop secondary double-teamed Sami the whole game, but he played with a lot of heart,†credited Cicatelli.
Revere, which was decimated by injuries to such key players as Max Doucette, Domenic Boudreau, and Davi Barreto during the season, finished the 2022 campaign with a 4-7 record.
“Not having Max Doucette on both sides of the ball was a huge hit,†said Cicatelli. “With Max Doucette and Dom Boudreau on the field, we’re a different team. We had a lot of starters miss a lot of games. It was a tough year. The record is disappointing, but we made the playoffs, and that was one of our goals.â€
Shosho, Elasri, Boudreau, Fuentes are GBL All-Stars
Revere High players Jason Shosho, Sami Elasri, Domenic Boudreau, and Maykin Fuentes Gonzalez were selected to the Greater Boston League All-Star by a vote of the coaches.