Revere finds a way

HAVERHILL – The measurable numbers – rushing yards, total offense, time of possession, first downs – suggested an unfavorable outcome for the Revere High School football team Saturday morning against reigning Div. 4 Super Bowl champion Whittier Regional Vo-Tech.However, much like their namesake revolutionaries, the fortitude and perseverance of these Patriots was evident to all as they willed themselves to an unlikely 40-34 overtime victory, snapping the Wildcats’ 13-game winning streak.Revere40Whittier34 Senior Trae Weathers (14 carries, 150 yards, 3 TDs) swept in from nine yards on the second play of OT for the decisive score. After the two-point conversion rush failed, Revere’s defense stepped up. A penalty, two rushes for three yards and an incomplete pass left Whittier facing fourth down at the 12. After Mike Melling was ruled down while fielding an errant snap, the Patriots unleashed a raucous celebration befitting their 2-0 start.”(We) found a way. We came from behind in grand fashion. I can’t tell you how proud I am of the entire team, all the players and all the coaches, right across the board,” said drained Revere coach Lou Cicatelli. “This is the most exciting game I’ve ever been involved with as a coach.”Revere’s defense spent nearly 30 minutes on the field – Whittier ran 72 plays and rolled up 433 rushing yards from its methodical Single Wing attack – but made key contributions, anchored by junior Robert Sasso’s 14 tackles. The Patriots halted a third-period Whittier drive that reached the Revere two. When Whittier seemed headed for a game-winning score in the final minutes, senior Jose Amaya recovered a fumble at the Revere 27.”It’s such a tough offense to prepare for but we made some adjustments at halftime and we were fortunate to make big stops when we needed them,” said Cicatelli.The teams matched lengthy scoring drives to open the game. Mark Asemota (24 carries, 161 yards) capped a 59-yard Whittier march with a two-yard run but the conversion failed. Revere countered with a 62-yard drive resulting in Weathers’ eight-yard run and two-point rush for an 8-6 lead.Short scoring runs of four and six yards by Jack Creesy (26 carries, 110 yards) bracketed a recovered onside kick and gave the Wildcats a 22-8 lead they carried into halftime.Freshman Tom Portrait’s 69-yard kickoff return provided the Patriots an immediate lift to start the second half, making it 22-14. However, Shane Surette (8 carries, 119 yards) finished another prolonged Whittier drive from nine yards for a 28-14 edge.Revere responded with Weathers’ 64-yard scamper on the first play after the ensuing kickoff. Then, on the second play after the defense’s goal-line stand, quarterback Paul Norton found Drew Lauria on a wheel route out of the backfield for an 86-yard TD strike on the final play of the third quarter. The conversion failed but the Patriots were within two at 28-26.Undaunted by Surette’s 80-yard scoring run on the second play of the fourth quarter, Revere covered 70 yards on seven plays with the fullback Amaya bouncing in from five yards for the score. Norton’s two-point conversion flip to Tim Pinder tied it at 34-all with 6:23 to play, setting up OT.”It’s easy to pack it in when you’re behind on the road against an offense like that, but we showed a lot of character and integrity,” Cicatelli concluded.