Despite heavy rain and a lot of mud the Patriots kept it close through the third period. (Advocate photo / Al Terminiello)

By Jerry DiStefano

The Revere High Patriots football team found itself in the mud as they squared off against Salem. The Witches were able to take a late lead and hold off a resilient Patriot team to the tune of 20–6.

Early on in the game the conditions of the field were good and Revere took advantage of that. Revere scored on their opening 60-yard touchdown drive of the game and that was capped off by a 10-yard touchdown run by Andy Restiano. Revere was up 6–0 and that was the score at the end of the first half. Salem finally scored in the third quarter, when they executed a 50-yard screen pass that tied the game at 6–6. The score remained 6–6 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter Salem broke the tie with four minutes to go and took a 14–6 lead after converting a two point conversion. Revere got the ball back and went three and out on their next possession. Salem got the ball back and had a fourth and one on Revere’s 20-yard line with two minutes left in the game. Salem decided to go for it to try and end the game on a first down, but the Revere defense stopped Salem and got the ball back with just under two minutes remaining.

Pat’s quarterback Joe Ritchie hit Kyle Gotham on a 60-yard pass to get to Salem’s 15-yard line with 25 seconds remaining in the game. The last play of the game Ritchie threw the ball into the end zone, where Salem intercepted it and ran it back 100 yards to end the game.

Patriots’ Head Coach Lou Cicatelli was very happy with his team: “This was a great and very physical football game. I was so happy how they responded even with how bad everything was going. The conditions did not make this game ideal but the boys played their tails off today. This game could have went either way but Salem just made a few more plays then we did. They drove all the way down the field and had a chance to tie the game up at the end. That says a lot about them that they never gave up and kept fighting. I am so proud of them.”

Gotham had a great game on defense for Revere with that 60-yard reception to boot. Bobby Rose, Steven Piazza, and Marvin Rios all helped anchor the Patriot defense to a strong performance.

Revere is off this week and will look to improve their record to 4–1 when they play Peabody.