Patriots hold off Vikings on Turkey Day, 16-13

  Scoring 16 straight points in the second half ended up being enough for the Revere Patriots as they edged the Winthrop Vikings, 16-13, in the resumption of the annual Thanksgiving Day football clash between the two teams at Harry Della Russo Stadium. The game didn’t take place last fall due to the cancellation of all sports activities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The victory left Revere with an 8-2 record to close the fall 2021 season and gave the Patriots ample evidence that they could have, and perhaps should have, been awarded a Div. 3 playoff seeding. Despite its eight-win finish, Revere did not make this year’s playoff tournament.

  Winthrop finished with a sub-500 mark. Still, the 5-6 Vikings made the Div. 6 tournament and scored a convincing first-round victory over South Hadley. They nearly topped Super Bowl finalist Rockland in the quarterfinal and proved to be a tough opponent on Thanksgiving. Winthrop was clearly better than its record indicated.

  Revere Head Coach Lou Cicatelli said the win showed the caliber of team the Patriots had. “It’s a nice way to put a stamp [on the season],” he told the press after the game. “We were 8-2 and definitely deserved a shot at the playoffs. There was a mistake made there, no doubt.”

  This year’s Turkey Day contest was a tightly contested, defensive affair. Trailing 6-0 at halftime, the Patriots turned the tide midway through the third quarter when Augusto Goncalves blocked a punt and the ball was recovered on Winthrop’s 20-yard line. From there, it took just two plays for Revere to hit paydirt. Running back Davi Barreto busted loose for 17 yards to the three. From there, he burst into the end zone on the following play to even it at six apiece. Wilmer Rodriguez-Mejia eventually made good on the point-after kick to put the hosts in front 7-6.

  Later in the quarter, the Vikings were backed up deep in their own territory and faced having to punt out of their own end zone. They decided to concede the safety, as the punter took the snap and intentionally stepped out of the end zone, giving Revere a 9-6 lead.

 The Patriots increased their advantage to 16-6 early in the fourth quarter. A one-yard sneak by quarterback Anwar Marbouh – set up by a 19-yard Barreto run – and Rodriguez-Mejia’s PAT kick provided the final Revere points of the game.

 However, the Vikings did not go away quietly. On a fourth-and-seven play just minutes later, Vikings quarterback Robert Noonan connected over the middle with receiver Mikey Chaves, who proceeded to break free and race 70-yards for a touchdown. The extra-point brought Winthrop within three at 16-13 with over 10 minutes remaining.

  Winthrop threatened twice more, but the Patriots’ defense was able to make big plays and fend off the visitors. Ricardo Goncalves snuffed out a wide run play on a fourth-and-one from midfield, and Addison Merida picked off a pass to thwart Winthrop’s final drive with two minutes left. Merida’s interception came shortly after Noonan almost connected for the go-ahead touchdown from about 40 yards away. The receiver could not hold on to the pass that appeared very catchable.

  Winthrop drew first blood in the opening quarter when Noonan found Chaves for an 11-yard touchdown pass. The score was set up by a botched Revere punt that gave the Vikings the ball on the Patriots’ seven-yard line.

  Augusto Goncalves received the game’s defensive Most Valuable Player award while Marbouh and Merida were selected as offensive MVPs.

  Revere’s win was its 32nd in the historic series, which dates back over a century. Winthrop has won 56 times, but the Patriots have emerged victorious in the last five battles. There have been three ties.