REVERE — There aren’t enough words in the English language to describe Friday night’s 42-35 Revere victory over Wayland in the MIAA Division 4 North football semifinal.
Thrilling. Courageous. Tenacious. Astounding. They all fit. Not only was the game a struggle between two determined teams determined to win, it was also a mano-a-mano battle between Revere’s Joe Llanos (33 carries, 215 yards, 3 touchdowns) and the Warriors’ Mason Bolivar, the all-purpose quarterback who — at different times of the night — took over entire drives by himself en route to rushing for 107 yards on nine carries and throwing for 190 yards on 8-of-13 passing.
“I can’t say enough about Bolivar,” said No. 2 Revere coach Lou Cicatelli. “He was a real man out there. I have to tip my hat to Wayland. They found a way to come back and stay in the game all night. That is a terrific football team.”
But …
“I’m just going to come out and say it,” Cicatelli said. “Joe’s the best back I’ve ever coached here (19 years). Nevermind that. The best player I’ve ever coached here.”
It wasn’t just offense. Llanos made an acrobatic play for an interception. And perhaps his best play of the evening came on what would have been a 64-yard touchdown pass from Calvin Boudreau that was called back for an illegal block — much to the anger of the Revere crowd.
“It was a great catch,” said Cicatelli. “But we’re playing federation rules, and it was the right call. I was disappointed in our penalties. I know we won the game, but we can’t be this sloppy going forward.”
The Patriots, who ran their record to 8-0, will play in the Division 4 North final next Friday (7) at Melrose, which beat Marblehead, 26-14.
The only time Revere trailed was 8-7 after the teams traded first-possession touchdowns (Llanos on a 10-yard run and Bolivar on a 2-yard run, with a conversion).
Revere went up 20-8, still in the first quarter. Both came courtesy of Llanos, one for two yards and the other for 33. In between, Revere surprised Wayland with an onside kick, recovering to keep possession.
It looked as if Revere was going to run away with it when Boudreau hit Lucas Barbosa with a 13-yard scoring pass, but the Warriors came back to make it a two-score game at 27-14 by the end of the half when Bolivar connected with Cameron Jones.
Three minutes into the second half, a screen pass to Barbosa went 36 yards for a TD, and it was 34-14. But Wayland struck back for two touchdowns, Bolivar for five yards to make it 34-21, and Jaison Tucker from a yard out (34-28).
After Barbosa picked off a pass, Boudreau hit Jonathan Murphy with a 19-yard scoring pass with 5:35 to go, but Bolivar came right back, running the ball on every play but one, with the final 24 yards resulting in a touchdown.
But Wayland (6-2) could get no closer, as Llanos ran out the clock to seal the victory.
