Sports 01-18-2017

Revere High girls basketball rolls on; beats Swampscott, Salem for 10-0 record

By Cary Shuman

There is no sign of Lianne O’Hara’s Revere High School Girls Basketball Express slowing down after victories over Swampscott (65-56) and Salem (59-25).

In fact, the 10-0 Lady Patriots showed their firepower in posting two 21-point quarters in the wins over their Northeastern Conference opponents.

Valentina Pepic had another superlative performance, scoring 24 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the win over the Big Blue of Swampscott. Pepic was 12 of 16 from the field in the game.

Against Salem, Pepic had 19 points and 7 rebounds to help Revere roll past the Salem Witches.

“Valentina has been very consistent,” said coach O’Hara about Revere’s 6-foot-2-inch, junior center.

Pamela Gonzalez, who’s also having a brilliant junior season, contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds versus Swampscott. Nine of her rebounds were on the defensive boards, helping to launch Revere’s fast break attack.

Gonzalez has also been excelling in the role of covering the opposing team’s best player.

Meaghan Gotham had a 10-point, 4 rebound effort against Swampscott followed by a 6-point, 10-rebound night against Salem.

The backcourt tandem of Tatiana Iacoviello and Emily DiGiulio is delivering points and assists. Iacoviello had 6 points and 5 assists versus Swampscott and 10 points and 4 assists versus Salem. That means the junior sharpshooter (3-of-4 from 3-point land against Salem) was involved in 40 points in the two victories.

“Tatiana and Pamela had really good shooting games,” said O’Hara.

DiGiulio had a team-high 6 assists and keyed the Revere defense that produced 22 steals in the two games.

Samantha Woodman was  4-of-4 from the free throw line versus Salem. The senior forward contributed 6 points and 6 rebounds to the victory.

“I think we’re improving as a team,” said O’Hara. “Saugus (Thursday) will be a really good test for us.”

Revere can clinch a State Tournament berth with a win over the Lady Sachems.

PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK

Revere is ranked No. 5 in the Boston Globe poll behind Bishop Feehan, Braintree, Woburn, and Wellesley. Feehan (7-1), the defending Division 1 state champion, played well in a 63-46 loss to  national powerhouse Long Beach Polytechnic High School last week. The Shamrocks trailed by ten (39-29) at the half.

Lianne O’Hara was in attendance Sunday when the Bishop Fenwick High School girls basketball team unveiled its Division 3 state championship banner. O’Hara was an assistant coach of the Lady Crusaders who won it all last March. O’Hara received her state championship ring and state championship jacket following the season.

O’Hara received high praise from Boston Herald sportswriter Danny Ventura in Sunday’s edition. Revere is No. 3 in the Herald’s Super Six.

Meghan Gotham’s recent play is giving Revere a big boost at both ends of the court. Gotham is finding the range and making her presence felt as a shot blocker and rebounder.

“Meaghan has been coming on strong and she’s playing like she has something to prove and I love it – she is really working hard,” said O’Hara.

 Woburn is the only other undefeated team in Division 1 North. Pamela Gonzalez will likely get the difficult assignment of guarding Woburn’s senior Marissa Gattuso if the two teams meet in the Comcast Tournament or the Division 1 North Sectionals. It was Gattuso and (her floaters) and Woburn who ended Revere’s season in the North final last year.

RhS sports Roundup

RHS girls roll past Lynn English

The Revere High girls indoor track team rolled to its second win of the season with a commanding 56-29 victory over Lynn English last week.

The Lady Patriots captured first place in seven of the nine individual events: Rachel Shanbar with a shot-put toss of 28’-8”; Estefania Velasquez in the 50 hurdles in 8.5 seconds; Claritza Vasquez with a time of 48.9 in the 300 dash; Ghizlane Guisser, who led a Revere sweep of the 600, in 1:57.9; Hannah Fitzpatrick in the 1000 with a clocking of 3:27.2; Monica Posada in the mile in 6:13; and Olivia Novoselsky with a two-mile run of 16:19.

Adding three points to the Revere side of the scoresheet with second-place finishes were: Fitzpatrick with a personal record (PR) high jump of 4’-4”; Majiadah Louis in the 50 yard dash with a PR of 7.1; Marie Bernier in the 300 in 51.2; Stephanie Vu in the 600 in 2:11.2; and Mariana Hincapie in the two mile in 17:26.

Lady Patriots who contributed single points with third place performances were: Azra Lakacha with a PR high jump of 4’-4” and a 50 hurdles time of 9.5; Jamie Jones in the 50 dash in a PR of 7.1; Sydney Ramos in the 300 dash in 51.7; Erin Christopher in the 600 in 2:12.8; and Taylor Giuffre-Catalano in the 1000 in 4:08.5.

Lady Patriot Allegra Penn just missed making it onto the scoresheet, finishing in fourth place in the 50 dash in 7.2 seconds.

“I was really pleased with our times in the sprint events,” said RHS head coach Antonio LaBruna. “We haven’t been very fast in the dash this season, so to see all three of our girls run PR’s in the 50 was huge.

“Ghizlane Guisser, a first year sophomore, won the 600 with a time of 1:57.9 in the absence of Helen Perez who is our top 600 runner and senior captain,” said LaBruna. “Helen went down with a foot injury earlier in the week, but Ghizlane answered the bell.

“In the 1000, Hannah Fitzpatrick got some revenge against her English counterpart,” added LaBruna. “Last spring English’s Sullivan beat her in the mile and the 800, so it was nice to see Hannah win this race.”

LaBruna and his squad are set to host Peabody this evening (Wednesday) at 6:00.

RHS boys track defeats L. English

The Revere High boys indoor track team handily defeated Lynn English this past week to claim its third triumph of the season.

David Sinatra was the top Patriot scorer with eight points. David won his specialty, the 50 yard hurdles, with a time of 7.1, and took second in the high jump with a leap of 5’-6”.

Other first-place performers for the Patriots were: Morris Toglan with a shot-put toss of 42’; Jonathan Hysenaj with a time of 5.9 in the 50 yard dash; Yussuf Buda, who led a Patriot sweep in the 300 dash with a clocking of 42.0; Zach Gentile in the 600 in 1:32.9; Sebastian Mejia in the mile in 5:17.8; and Jonathan Nushi with a two-mile run of 12:10.

Second-place finishers for Revere were: Andy Em in the hurdles in 7.2; Wesley Zambrano in the 300 in 42.3; Cristian Acuna in the 1000 in 3:02.4; Arthur LaCerda in the mile in 5:20.2; and Amine Maihouane in the two-mile in 12:17.

 Adding single points with third place efforts were: Gabriel Felix-Martinez with a shot-put throw of 39›-2»; Sebastian Rendon to complete a sweep in the 300 in 42.9;  Christian Molina in the 600 in 1:38.4; and Nicolas Sujko in the 1000 in 3:07.8.

The boys host Peabody tonight (Wednesday) at Merullo Fieldhouse.

RHS boys top  Swampscott, drop 59-58 decision to Salem

The Revere High boys basketball team split its two contests this past week, winning at Swampcott last Tuesday, but dropping a home match with Salem on Friday.

The Patriots started slowly in their 57-45 conquest of at Swampscott, trailing 13-12 after the first period and then falling further behind to start the second stanza when the Big Blue opened with a 4-0 run.

RHS head coach David Leary then turned to his bench for some energy and toughness and it paid off. Junior guard George Quintana scored three quick points and put great pressure on the Swampscott guards defensively, while sophomore guards Sebastian Vanegas (who made three steals and scored his first varsity point with a free throw) and Scott Montefusco (10 points with a pair of three-pointers) gave Swampscott fits with their defensive energy.

Reserve senior forward Giovanni Mercado also gave Revere a lift with four points and five rebounds. By the time the half ended, the Patriots had erased the five point deficit and took a  25-21 lead into the intermission.

In the second half the Patriot starting corps found their stride, led by seniors Mass Joof (16 points, eight rebounds), Curtis High (12 points), and Brendan Hayes (seven points, including 5-for-6 from the free throw line).

The Patriots maintained their four-point edge, 33-29, by the third buzzer, and protected it until the stretch, when Revere put the game on ice with some clutch free throw shooting, sinking 9-of-11 tries from the charity stripe.

“We had guys really step up tonight off the bench,” said Leary. “We have been stressing this to the guys all year to be ready when your name is called. Our bench won us this game tonight with great energy, especially defensively. This was a very importavnt team win on the road, even though we did not play our best ball.”

Three nights later the Patriots dropped a heartbreaker on their home floor to Salem, 59-58.

The visiting Witches opened up the game on fire, sprinting to a 16-4 lead in the first five minutes. However, the Patriots went on a 12-0 run of their own to bring the game back to level, 16-16, at the end of the first period.

After the teams traded buckets through most of the second frame, Salem exploded for a 10-0 run to close out the half and take a 33-26 lead into the locker room.

The Witches were led by their senior guard Anthony Pena, (25 points, including four treys in the first half).  Salem jumped quickly out of the gate to start the second half, pushing their lead to 40-28 by the mid-point of the third period.

 «We had to switch to a triangle-and-two defense to try to slow down Pena and Nate Lebron (15 points, 10 rebounds) at that point and our guys responded,» noted Leary.

High (who finished with 16 points and six rebounds) and Gerald Jean-Charles (eight points and five assists) took on the challenge of defending Salem’s two talented players and did so successfully, enabling Revere a chance to mount a comeback. The Patriots put together a 13-7 run to close the quarter and draw within  six, 47-41, going into the final eight minutes.

The final stanza proved to be a bumpy ride, as both teams struggled to score at times. With 4:40 left to play Revere trailed 53-45, but then surged back with big baskets from High, Mass Joof (a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds) and Jean-Charles.

“We just kept fighting through adversity, which is what you need to do to be a good team,” said Leary.

The final minute of the contest was no place for the faint of heart. Salem sank a trey (the Witches hit on 11 from beyond the arc in the game) to push their lead to 56-52. But after a Revere made a free throw and came through with a defensive stop, Joof made a conventional three-point play to leave matters even-steven at 56-56.

Revere then took its first lead of the night, 58-56, when Marvin Urdaneta (a powerful 18 points and eight rebounds in his return to action after missing three games with a shoulder injury), put home a layup with 13.9 seconds on the clock.

After a timeout, the Witches inbounded the ball and made a few passes looking for an open shot. Revere defended well, but Salem’s Edwin Espinal delivered a bomb from well behind the arc (about a 22-foot shot) to boost Salem into the lead with three seconds to go.

Revere had a chance at a final desperation shot, but it fell short.

“This was a tough one to take, but we will focus on the positives,” said Leary. “When you are outscored  33-0 from the three-point line and still give yourself a chance to win, that is a sign of a team playing together, defending hard, and fighting through some tough times. But I tip my hat to Salem. They are extremely well-coached (Tom Doyle) and they made huge shots down the stretch.

“But we have a lot of basketball left and we have been in every game,” continued the first-year coach. “We just need to learn how to win in the fourth quarter. It will help having Marvin back in our games ahead.”

Leary and his crew make the short trek down Broadway to Chelsea this evening (Wednesday) to meet the Red Devils in what has become a real rivalry game in the past few years for the two schools, bringing to mind for old-timers the way it used to be between the long-ago Greater Boston League foes.

The Patriots host Saugus tomorrow evening and make the long journey to Gloucester on Tuesday.

Even-steven week for RHS hockey

The Revere High hockey team played three games this past week and attained a level outcome with a win, a tie, and a loss.

The victory took place Saturday at Cronin Rink by means of a 7-3 conquest of non-league rival Somerville. The visiting Highlanders enjoyed a 1-0 lead after one period thanks to a goal that lit the lamp just as time expired, but the Patriots seized control in the middle stanza, showering the Somerville goalie with a hailstorm of rubber that resulted in six markers for the home team.

Rob Stoica potted the initial goal to tie the game and the Patriots took over from there en route to the eventual 7-3 finale. Mike Giordano struck for the hat trick; linemate Mike Goroshko rang two shots home; and sophomore defenseman Mark Giordano, Mike’s brother, accounted for the seventh Revere tally.

“Somerville might have seized the momentum when they scored their first goal at the end of the period, but we didn’t let it get us down,” said RHS head coach Joe Ciccarello. “We turned in one of our best periods of the season and it was good to see us respond like that.”

By contrast, the coach was not pleased with his squad’s performance two days later in a 4-4 tie on the holiday with Essex Tech. The teams were deadlocked at both of the intermissions (1-1 and 3-3), and when Essex took the lead early in the third period and made the slim advantage hold up as the clocked ticked away inside the final minute, it appeared as though the Pats were going to absorb a crushing defeat on their home ice.

However, Mike Giordano, assisted by a nice pass from brother Mark, notched the equalizer with 46 seconds to go to provide the Pats with an important point.

“We were very sloppy with our handling of the puck,” said Ciccarello. “Two mistakes gave Essex a pair of breakaways and we deflected a shot into our own net. It was not a well-played game by us.”

Goroshko scored twice and Jim Pandolfo lit the lamp once to account for the other Patriot tallies.

Last Wednesday the Patriots started fast in their tilt with Swampscott at Salem State College, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the opening period.

However, Revere was unable to enlarge its advantage early in the second frame when the Pats enjoyed a 5-on-3 power play and the momentum swung in Swampscott’s favor.

The Big Blue scored twice to even the count at 2-2 after two periods and then scored three more unanswered tallies in the final 15 minutes.

Goroshko and Giordano accounted for the Patriot goals, but that would prove to be the extent of the Revere offense for the night.

Ciccarello and his crew play at Somerville tonight (Wednesday) and will host Beverly Saturday at Cronin at 5:10. The Patriots will entertain East Longmeadow, which is making the long journey from Western Mass., next Wednesday at 6:30.

Middle School Sports Basketball

2017 MIDDLE SCHOOL

BASKETBALL SEASON BEGINS.

The 2017 Revere Middle School Basketball season for students at the Garfield Middle School (GMS) and Rumney Marsh Academy (RMA) got off to promising start as both the Boys and the Girls teams scored impressive victories on the road at Pickering Middle in Lynn against the Tigers.

The Girls were first up and the veteran squad scored early and often jumping out to a 26-0 halftime advantage enroute to a 38-9 drubbing.

The Boy’s team, under the direction of new Coach Chris Porrazzo, came out flying and raced to a 20-7 lead after the first quarter. Playing a suffocating man to man defense and crashing the boards on every shot, Porrazzo’s Men increased their lead every period romping to a dominant 56-42 victory.

13 players scored for the good guys led by GMS’s Kyle Ramirez’s 12 points. Two other GMS students, Dillon Day and Gabriel Rodriquez were next with eight each.

Crisrael Lithgow (RMA) went for five, including a long three. Zack Bowden (GMS) hit for four and

Three  RMA players, Ryan Doucette, Jarrod Natola, and Sergio Garzon each contributed three points off the bench. Finally five players, Dominic Reed (RMA), Jafar Barry (GMS), Richie DiMarzo (RMA), Marco Cerbone (SBA), and RMA 6th grader Sal DeAngelis each scored two to close out the scoring.

The win marked a successful debut for Coach Chris Porrazzo who is a popular Guidance Counselor at Rumney Marsh Academy, and comes to us after a coaching stint in Swampscott.

GIRLS MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAM BEATS LYNN

The 1-0 Girl’s Middle School basketball team continued their winning ways over  Lynn’s Marshall Middle School at SBA gym on Friday Jan. 6. Coach Parker’s team, coming off an impressive win at Pickering, charged out to an early lead and just kept pouring it on, on the way to a lopsided 32-14 win.

Nine girls scored points in the victory.

SBA’s Alexis Iacoviello, sister of Revere High star Tatianna, led the way with six points in a great overall effort.

Caroline Stasio and Alana Nelson (both RMA) were next with five each.

Another RMA student, Julianna Raffa contributed four and three girls, Frankie DeAngelis and Ayah Harper from RMA and Karen Yepes (SBA) all dropped in three each.

GMS’s Amanda Rotondo had two and Erica Anderson (RMA) finished with one marker.

The Revere Middle School Boy’s team fresh off of a runaway win at Pickering welcomed the team from Thurgood Marshall Middle School (Lynn) to SBA gymnasium on January 6.

Marshall has a tradition of playing a rough and tumble style of basketball stepped up right from the get go and scored 15 first quarter points to take a five point lead after the first eight minutes.

Coach Porrazzo’s guys dug in but couldn’t cut into their opponent’s lead and were down 26-20 at the break.

The Junior Patriots scored the first two buckets of the third quarter to cut it to two, but faltered on defense and Marshall sprinted to a 47-33 advantage after three periods.

The good guys staged a furious comeback in the final stanza and cut the lead to three with 1:30 left in the game, but the rally proved to be too little, too late and the Patriots dropped a tough 54-48 decision.

Revere was paced by Garfield’s Kyle Ramirez who had 21 points. Gabe Rodriquez was next with nine.

Dillon Day finished with six (all from the FT line). Jarrod Natola (RMA) contributed five. Crisreal Lithgow and Sergio Garzon got three each, and Sal DeAngelis (RMA) with one point.

Porrazzo’s  troops played well vs a tough Marshall group, but did themselves in by shooting just 9-30 from the Free Throw line.

The team is playing hard for Coach Porrazzo.

The Boys and Girls Middle school hoop teams traveled to Marblehead on January 9 to take on the Magicians.

The undefeated (2-0) Girl’s squad played first and came out full of energy and sprinted out to a 10-2 lead in the first three minutes. However they suddenly went ice cold and scored only 1 more point in the rest of the half and found themselves in a 16-11 hole at the half.

Our girls came and played their opponents even in third quarter, but faltered again in the final eight minutes, getting out scored 17-10 on their way to their first loss of the season (43-29)

Turnovers, general sloppy play, and outstanding Marblehead shooting did our kids in in the second half.

Carolin Stasio (RMA) led all scorers with a game high 12 points.

Alana Nelson (SBA) and Frankie DeAngelis (RMA) had five each. Amanda Rotondo (GMS) went for three and Alexis Iacoviello (SBA) and RMA’s Ayah Harper finished  with two each to fill out the score sheet.

The 1-1 Revere Middle School boys, still licking their wounds from a tough home loss to Marshall, boarded the bus for the trip up the coast to Marblehead to tangle with the 2-0 Magicians to whom they had lost four straight games.

Coach Porrazzo’s teams are always prepared and they came out hustling and playing excellent defense, but the Magicians were equal to the task and after a nip and tuck first period Revere was on top 13-12.

Marblehead came out gunning in the second quarter hitting three treys and took a 23-18 lead at the half.

Whatever Coach Porrazzo said at halftime certainly sunk in as the good guys scored 32 points in the second half and outlasted their pesky hosts to finally finish on top 50-43. It was Revere’s 1st victory versus Marblehead since 2014.

Three Patriots scored in double figures with Gabriel Rodriquez leading the way with 17. Kyle Ramirez and Jarrod Natola were next up with 11 each. Dillon Day contributed 7 and Ryan Doucette and Zack Bowden rounded out the scoring with two apiece.

 On January 11th the Gloucester Fisherman sailed into SBA Gymnasium to do battle with our Junior Patriot Middle School teams.

The 2-1 Revere girls, still smarting from their tough loss at Marblehead,  were all business from the opening tap scoring 19 points in the first eight minutes, were up 27-4 at the half, and romped to a 48-21 thrashing of their visitors.

In scoring a season high 48 points, 10 Revere players made the score sheet. Frankie DeAngelis and Ayah Harper led the balanced scoring attack with nine points apiece. Close behind was Caroline Stasio who dropped in eight. Alana Nelson and Amanda Rotondo chipped in with 5 markers each. Alexis Iacoviello put down four and four Lady Pats, Nina Cassinello, Karen Yepes, and twin sisters  Erica and Lynzie Anderson all finished with two points each.

Two Ocean City teams, Revere and Gloucester, hooked up at SBA Gym on Wednesday, January 11.

Both teams came in at 2-1 and proved to be as evenly matched as their records indicated.

The action went up and down the court at a torrid pace in the first half, with multiple lead changes, and it stood at 29-27 at intermission.

The home squad burst out of the locker room and staged an offensive explosion, scoring 38 second half points and ran away to a 67-50 win before a boisterous home crowd.

Ten Pats scored in the romp led by Gabe Rodriquez and Jarrod Natola who had 21 and 14 points respectively.

Richie DiMarzo and Kyle Ramirez each pitched in with eight points each. Dillon Day scored five and Jared Mercado contributed four. Three of the good guys Marco Cerbone, Ryan Doucette, and Dominic Reed each had two and Nathan Ramos finished with one.

RhS sports Through the Years

10 years ago

January 17, 2007

The RHS hockey team improved to 8-1-1 overall and 7-0-1 in the Northeastern Conference with routs of 7-0 over Marblehead and 9-3 over Lynn Classical. Brandon Pezzutto and Anthony DelloIacono both scored two goals in the Marblehead win. DelloIacono, Anthony Morico, and Chris Mastropietro scored two tallies each vs. Classical. Kyle Clayson scored his first career goal in the Classical game.

The RHS hurdling foursome of John Driscoll, Victor Galli, Robert Morales, and Ricardo Zegarra earned a fifth-place ribbon in the 4 x 50 shuttle relay event at the State Coaches Relays held last week at the Reggie Lewis Center.

Chris Flint scored 22 points, but the RHS boys basketball team dropped a 62-61 decision to Marblehead.

The RHS girls basketball team dropped contests this week to Saugus, 50-38, and Marblehead, 60-21. Freshman Nicole Kjersgaard scored nine points and grabbed 21 rebounds in the loss to Saugus.

Jamie Anderson won two events, the 300 dash (42.9) and high jump (4’-3”), for the RHS girls track team in a loss this week to Marblehead.

20 years ago

January 22, 1997

The Revere High hockey team overcame a 3-0 deficit to earn a 4-4 tie with Medford.

Meredith Sclafani earned first place in three events to lead the RHS girls gymnastics team to a 120.65-109.35 victory over defending league champion Peabody.

30 years ago

January 1987

The RHS girls basketball team now is ranked sixth in the EMass polls after defeating Everett, 58-57.

Brian Bright sank a free throw with four seconds left in the game to give the RHS boys basketball team a 62-61 win over Everett.

Phi Che took first place in two events to lead the RHS boys gymnastics team, which now stands at 3-1, to a 100-92 win over Andover.

The winless streak for the RHS hockey team stands at 52 games after losses of 11-1 to Medford and 6-3 to Malden.

40 years ago

January 19, 1977

Steve DiCarlo scored a hat trick to lead the RHS hockey team to an 8-2 victory over Chelsea. John Festa added a goal and had four assists. The pucksters, who were coming off a tough 2-1 loss to Arlington in a battle for first place in the GBL,  also defeated Everett this past week, 5-1.

Despite a school record-setting performance by Billy Hill in the 600 dash, the RHS indoor track team lost to Malden this past week.

60 years ago

January 17, 1957

Joel Kelfer scored 11 points to lead the RHS basketball team to a 44-38 win over Malden.

 

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.