Four members of the Revere High girls indoor track team competed in the sprint medley relay event at this past weekend’s Adidas Track Indoor Nationals in Virginia Beach.
The quartet of senior captains Gemma Stamatopoulos, Danni Hope Randall, and Rania Hamdani, and Zizi Kalliavas set a new Revere High school record of 4:31.18, shattering the previous mark that they had set last year by a full four seconds.
“Danni and Zizi started the race blazing in the 200m legs, splitting 28 seconds each,” said RHS head coach Racquel MacDonald-Ciambelli. “Rania then came in with a super fast 64 sec in the 400m leg, which is a personal best for her. Gemma then finished the race with a 2:28 split in the 800m, less than 24 hours after her record-breaking performance the night before.”
MacDonald-Ciambelli was referring to Stamatopoulos’s race on Saturday in the 800m in which Gemma ran a 2:26.75, which smashed her old school record that she had set last year by almost a full two seconds.
“Gemma ran a really gutsy, but confident race, opening up in a 32-second 200m split,” said MacDonald-Ciambelli. “She kept her cool and maintained her form and was able to finish her last lap in a 35 split after running two 39s in the middle portion of the race.”
The record-setting 800 capped an incredible indoor meet career for Stamatopoulos, who finished as the school record-holder in the indoor 400m, 600m, 800m, and 1000m. She also is the record holder on multiple relay teams (SMR, DMR, and high jump relay).
“Overall it was an incredible weekend for the team and they were so excited to compete alongside some of the nation’s top young athletes,” MacDonald-Ciambelli added.
RHS softball team preparing for 2026 season-opener
Coach Megan O’Donnell and the Revere High softball team are eagerly preparing for their 2026 season-opening game, which is scheduled for next Wednesday (April 1) at non-league opponent Minuteman Regional.
“We have a lot of teammates back from last year and a lot of new freshmen and eighth graders this year, but I think we should be able to hang with the best,” said O’Donnell, whose 2026 Lady Patriots will be led by a trio of senior captains, Danni Hope Randall, Shayna Smith, and Frankie Reed.
The full varsity roster is comprised of eighth graders Gabriela Bissainthe Arias, Defany Escoto, Alana Greenman, and Yasmine Slami; freshmen Mia Andino, Isabella Cushing, Alexa Humphrey, Gianna Stasinos, and Addison Ulwick; sophomores Michelle Pineda and Natalia Perdomo Navarro; juniors Anna Doucette and Caleigh Joyce; and seniors Gianna Chiodi and Madison Matheson.
The Lady Patriots will play a 20-game schedule consisting of two contests with each of their Greater Boston League opponents (Lynn Classical, Lynn English, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, and Somerville) and six matches with non-league rivals Minuteman (2), Northeast Regional (2), Triton, and Winthrop.
“If we work hard we will succeed this season, but we can’t take any games lightly this year,” said O’Donnell, whose squad met East Boston yesterday (Tuesday) in a scrimmage.
After next week’s contest with Minuteman, the Lady Patriots will open their GBL season on Monday (April 6) vs. Lynn Classical.
Spring sports season set to get underway
Revere High athletes will be springing into action in the coming week for the start of the 2026 spring sports season.
Coach Lianne Mimmo and the boys volleyball team will get the 2026 season underway with a match tomorrow (Thursday) at non-league opponent Essex Tech.
The boys lacrosse team headed by coach Michael Lucas will entertain non-league opponent Lowell next Tuesday at 4:30 on the turf field at Revere High.
Coach Megan O’Donnell and the RHS softball team will open their season next Wednesday at non-league opponent Minuteman Regional.
Coach Sebastian Salbo and the RHS baseball team will host Greater Boston League rival Lynn Classical for their season-opening pitch on Monday, April 6, at 4:15.
The RHS girls lacrosse team headed by coach Amy Rotger will open their season vs. GBL rival Medford on Tuesday, April 7.
The boys and girls outdoor track teams (led by David Fleming and Racquel MacDonald-Ciambellli respectively) will open their 2026 campaign on April 6 and the boys and girls tennis teams (led by long-time coaches Mike Flynn and Carla Maniscalco respectively) will get underway on April 10 vs. non-league opponent Winthrop.