Lauria stars as Revere blanks Salem

SALEM – Revere executed its running attack with great efficiency last night, willing the Patriots (3-1) to an important 14-0 road win over Salem at Bertram Field.The Witches, who fell to 1-3 with the defeat, were unable to take grasp of Revere’s ground game, which was paced by senior captain Drew Lauria. Lauria carried it 28 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns and also added a 30-yard reception in the victory.Fellow senior Tom Portrait was spectacular as well, rushing for 88 yards on 11 carries, including scampers of 25 and 30 yards apiece in the first quarter.”We call that set the ‘Batman and Robin’ set,” said Revere head coach Lou Cicatelli of his rushing duo’s counter handoff that worked so successfully all night long. “It’s that 1-2 punch and they both complement each other.”The Patriots opened the contest with a 10-play, 68-yard scoring drive, which culminated in a six-yard rush by Lauria for the game’s first score. A 30-yard pass play from junior quarterback Joe Ritchie to Lauria brought Revere across midfield before Portrait converted a third-and-one for 25 yards to bring it inside Salem’s 10-yard line.Following a punt by the Witches after their first offensive series, Lauria and Portrait combined for 11 carries and 56 yards rushing on Revere’s second drive, one that again ended in another Lauria score, this time from one yard out.On the drive, Portrait picked up eight yards on third down with nine to go to bring things inside the Salem 10-yard line before Lauria got enough for the first down on fourth-and-one to set up the score.Salem operated deep into Revere territory on the Witches’ next drive, but junior quarterback Christian Dunston was picked off in the red zone by senior linebacker Frank Melito with just under four minutes remaining before the end of the half.Down 14-0 at the break, Salem took its offense into Revere territory on all three of its second half possessions, although it remained unable to cut into the two-score deficit.A 23-yard rush by junior Chad Coelho brought Salem inside the Revere 20-yard line, but the Patriots’ Jim Domeneci sacked Dunston on fourth down at the 13 to give possession back to Revere.Dunston brought Salem to the opponents’ 26 with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth, but three consecutive incomplete passes turned the ball over on downs once again. From there, Lauria and the Patriots running attack picked up 59 yards on the final drive to burn out the clock.Dunston finished just 1-of-7 through the air but did run for 40 yards on 10 keepers with all but two of those rushing yards coming in the second half.”We were worried about him,” said Cicatelli of Dunston. “We knew coming in we had to stop him. He’s a special player and we knew we had to bottle him up and contain him.”Salem senior running back Davis Walsh had 13 carries for 55 yards on the ground.Salem returns home next Friday night for a matchup with Lynn Classical while Revere hits the road once again for a 7:00 p.m. tilt with Cambridge Rindge & Latin.