Cicatelli’s 101st win shatters 33-year drought as Revere stuns Everett

By Dom Nicastro

Lou Cicatelli netted Win No. 100 for his Revere High School football team last week.

Win No. 101 was even better, he said. And no one will fault him for thinking that way.

Revere’s first win over Everett since 1991 ended a 33-year drought against the powerhouse program. The Patriots triumphed 42-18 in an unforgettable performance last Friday night on the road — giving Cicatelli his 101^st victory, the team’s fourth in a row and one big, slammed door on four decades of futility against the Crimson Tide.

The victory not only marked Revere’s fourth straight win but also secured Cicatelli’s first victory over Everett (3-5) in his 22-year coaching career.

“I’m not going to lie. Win No. 101 was a lot sweeter. It was a super, super mighty effort from our players,” Cicatelli said. “We got momentum early, and we really never looked back. To say I’m proud of the kids, it’s an understatement. It’s probably one of the biggest wins in my career.”

Despite winning its fourth straight and smoking a Division 1 team, Revere (4-4) fell shy of making the postseason. The Patriots finished No. 22 in Division 3. The Patriots needed to be in the top 16. Lynn English, which beat Revere earlier this season, took the 16^th and final spot.

Cicatelli acknowledged the disappointment of falling short of the postseason but emphasized the team’s resilience.

“All that good stuff happening, we thought we were in for sure,” he said. “I’m surprised we didn’t get more points for that. But the kids know what they did, and they know what they have a chance to do, and that’s win out and get to a 7-4 record. That would be a great year for us.”

Seven straight to close out the season? It sure would. That team that lost four straight to open the season? Long gone.

If they get more performances like they did individually — and as a team — against Everett, winning out is certainly not out of the question. Geovani Woodard ran for more than 200 yards, had another 60 catching the ball and had three touchdown receptions from Danny Hou.

The Patriots set the tone early, taking advantage of Everett’s mistakes and executing on key plays to establish a commanding lead. Quarterback Hou got things started with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Woodard on fourth down, threading a pass under pressure to give Revere an 8-0 lead after connecting with freshman Charles Dobre for the two-point conversion.

Moments later, Revere recovered an Everett fumble on the kickoff, and Mario Ramirez capped off the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, followed by his own two-point conversion to make it 16-0.

Cicatelli’s decision to go for the kind of kicks from Joel Vasquez that favor unpredictability vs. length proved crucial in maintaining momentum.

“We worked at that so hard every week, probably too much to be honest,” Cicatelli said. “We just tried our best to take chances. No one’s really beat [Everett] for a long time, and we did that. So, we kept onside kicking, and Joel Vasquez got really good at it. It definitely put momentum in our favor.”

Hou, who has been instrumental in Revere’s four-game win streak, delivered another standout performance, adding a second touchdown pass to Woodard in the second quarter—a 16-yard strike that extended the lead to 22-6 just before halftime.

In the third quarter, Hou and Woodard connected again, this time on a 33-yard screen pass that found the end zone on a fourth-down play, pushing Revere’s lead to 28-12.

Freshman Anthony Pelatere added to Everett’s woes early in the fourth with a 50-yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, with Yousef Benhamou converting the two-point attempt. Benhamou later capped the night with a 5-yard touchdown run for a 42-12 lead.

Revere’s linemen — Silvio Neto, Charles Dobre, Joel Vasquez, Adam Metawea and Louis Forte — were opening holes for the skilled players bigger than when ambulances clear roadways on Broadway.

For the players, this was a win to remember. Think about it: most of the 90s, all of the 2000s, all of the 2010s and almost half of the 2020s: no victories over Everett, all while the Crimson Tide cruise to Greater Boston League and Super Bowl titles (12 between 1997 and 2017) in a run perhaps like no other in Massachusetts high school football.

Woodard described the experience as “an overwhelming mix of relief, disbelief, and pure joy” after beating a team that has dominated Revere for decades.

“So although we didn’t make playoffs, the win against Everett is an achievement me and my teammates will forever carry on, and to me that is much bigger than making the playoffs,” he added.

Hou, who threw multiple touchdown passes and kept the offense moving all night, echoed the sentiment.

“It made us feel great. It was one of the best feelings ever,” he said. “We started off the season 0-4, then we win four games straight, beating Everett. Even though we didn’t make the playoffs, it was still such a great feeling knowing how far we came through the season, and it shows how hard we worked to get here.”

Benhamou was equally thrilled to be part of the historic victory.

“Honestly it felt great to beat Everett,” he said. “It was a great experience with the team to end the 30-year streak and to get Cic his first win against them. We put the work in throughout practice, and it showed on Friday night. Unfortunately, we didn’t make the playoffs, but I am glad to see the team improve throughout the season, and I hope we can continue to keep the winning streak throughout our next games.”

Despite missing the Division 3 playoffs, the Patriots are riding high with renewed confidence.

With Boston Latin up next on the road (Friday, Nov. 8, 7 p.m.), the Patriots aim to keep the momentum going and finish the season strong, building toward their traditional Thanksgiving matchup with Winthrop—a game now packed with added excitement.

“It was almost like, ‘Pinch me. Am I really living this right now?’” Cicatelli reflected on the Everett win. “Everett’s a powerhouse, and we were able to finally beat them. It was surreal.”