Revere boys’ soccer captains reflect on strong season, postseason push

By Dom Nicastro

The Revere High School boys’ soccer team closed out another successful campaign this fall, finishing 10-4-5 and advancing to the Division 2 Round of 32 before falling to No. 1 seed and three-time defending state champion Oliver Ames. The Patriots entered the tournament as the No. 32 seed after a year marked by strong senior leadership, steady improvement and a cohesive core built over years of playing together.

The program’s foundation this season came from its four captains — seniors Adin Lozic, Abel Aklog, Noah Gaviria and Francisco Navarette. Together, they helped guide a senior-heavy roster that again made Revere one of the most competitive teams in the Greater Boston League.

We caught up with Lozic and Aklog to reflect on the 2025 campaign.

Lozic, a center back, said the captaincy reflected his long connection to both the program and his teammates. He saw it as the culmination of years spent growing within the Revere soccer community.

“Being captain and leading my teammates who I’ve known for as long as I lived in Revere, it meant everything to me,” he said. He noted that attending captain’s practices even before entering high school helped him form relationships with older players and learn how the program operated. The continuity among teammates, he said, played a major role in the team’s identity.

“Almost all of us have been playing since we were small elementary schoolers playing club soccer,” he said.

That familiarity, experience and shared commitment contributed to the Patriots’ ability to stay competitive throughout the season, bounce back from a challenging stretch in October and earn a playoff win over Southeastern Regional Voke in the preliminary round (Revere’s only postseason win this fall). Lozic said the group’s chemistry “made the team feel like family and made bonds that will last a lifetime.”

Aklog, a central midfielder and fellow senior captain, said the team’s competitiveness came from its mentality and its collective expectation to win. He described a group with strong personalities but a shared focus. “What made this team special was definitely the heart we had,” Aklog said. “We had a common goal of winning and proving why we are the best sports team in Revere.”

Revere’s postseason run ended in Easton against a powerhouse Oliver Ames squad, but both captains said the experience was valuable. Aklog noted the difference in postseason maturity and discipline but said the opportunity to face the state’s top program was meaningful. “Facing Oliver Ames was and is an experience I will never forget,” he said. The match, he added, gave the Patriots a clear view of the standard set by a program “used to playing in playoff games” and built on “a dynasty.”

For Lozic, the challenge was part of the motivation. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted, but just facing them in the playoffs was an experience to remember,” he said.

Both players expect soccer to remain part of their future. Lozic said he hopes to keep playing in some form even if he does not compete at the college level. Aklog said he has received interest from college programs and hopes to balance academics with the chance to continue the sport he has played his entire life.

As the Patriots prepare for next year, they will graduate a large senior class but return several players who contributed this fall. The captains said the culture built over the past four years will be important for the next group to carry forward.

Aklog said the exposure gained this season — especially in the postseason — will help the underclassmen understand what it takes to reach the next level. As he put it, “Any exposure is good exposure, and I’m glad we faced them. What better way to go out than to the No. 1 team in the state.”