Football Pats break through with 43-14 win over Medford, snap two-year skid

By Dom Nicastro

The Revere High School football team put it all together last Thursday night, overpowering Medford 43-14 on the road to earn its first win of the 2025 season. After a rocky 0-2 start against Quincy and Beverly, the Patriots showed the kind of balance and physicality that Coach Lou Cicatelli has been waiting for, snapping a two-year losing streak against the Mustangs. It was the first time Revere had beaten Medford since 2022, and it came in decisive fashion. The Patriots rolled up 357 yards of offense, including 240 on the ground, and scored 29 unanswered points between the second and fourth quarters.

“We set the tone,” Cicatelli said. “Opening drive, we went on a 60-yard drive and got down to the 1-yard line. We fumbled, but we were moving along successfully. I thought the defense played out of their minds. Played a lot better. We punted once, and that was it. We had over 357 total yards, over 240 on the ground. So it was a big night.”

Sophomore Reda Atoui delivered his biggest game of the season, carrying 12 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns while adding two receptions for 55 yards. He powered through Medford’s defense with a 41-yard scoring run in the third quarter that pushed the Patriots’ lead to 22-8.

“Reda led the pack,” Cicatelli said.

Senior captain Mario Ramirez was just as reliable, rushing seven times for 75 yards and three touchdowns. His 1-yard plunge opened the scoring in the second quarter, and he later added TD runs from 8 and 33 yards. Ramirez also played both ways, anchoring the defense at middle linebacker.

“He’s our workhorse,” Cicatelli said. “Some teams will shy away, but we just kept giving it to him. He proved it the other night. He had a great night on defense, too, a lot of tackles as a linebacker.”

  Quarterback Jose Fuentes, only a sophomore, showcased his versatility once again. He rushed six times for 65 yards, scored on a 9-yard keeper just before halftime, and went 5-for-5 on extra points. Fuentes also converted through the air, hitting Atoui for a 25-yard pass to set up a score and connecting with tight end Bryan Fuentes on two crucial fourth-down conversions.

“Jose had a good night,” Cicatelli said. “He was 5-for-5 on PATs. That’s not easy. Excellent night kicking.”

Sophomore Charles Dobre scored on a 24-yard jet sweep in the fourth quarter and added pressure on defense from his defensive end spot, recording multiple tackles and setting the edge.

“Charles had a touchdown, a nice jet sweep, and played pretty well on defense,” Cicatelli said. “He’s only going to get better.”

Captain Bryan Fuentes had one of his best games as a Patriot. From his tight end spot, he hauled in two passes for more than 60 yards — both on fourth down — to extend drives. On defense, the outside linebacker recorded six tackles and set the tone physically.

“Brian had two key drive-keeping catches,” Cicatelli said. “He played very, very well on defense, six tackles; a really good night.”

After giving up big plays in their first two games, Revere’s defense delivered its strongest performance yet. Strong safety Filipe DeMelo had a standout night, including a pass breakup on fourth down late in the game.

“Felipe had a great game,” Cicatelli said. “He’s been working hard all summer. He was in on a lot of tackles coming up, running the alley. He made a lot of real good plays.”

Cicatelli also highlighted cornerback Joey Angiulo and the secondary as a whole. “My defensive backs were really sticking their nose in there on the run game. We worked all week with them, and they did a great job playing defense,” he said.

The victory improves Revere to 1-2 overall, but more importantly 1-0 in the Greater Boston League. With a Friday night (Oct. 3) road game at Lynn English (1-2 after a 54-32 win over Peabody) up next, the Patriots have a chance to build early momentum in their league schedule. “This is a big one Friday night, because English is probably, in my eyes, one of the better teams in the GBL,” Cicatelli said. “If we can get this, we might have a championship coming this year. And I’m doing it with young kids. It’s just great. They come to practice, they’re happy to be there; they’re working hard.”

The win was also a reminder of how quickly fortunes can turn. After losses to Quincy and Beverly by a combined 83-7, Revere showed the resilience Cicatelli has been preaching. “We finally got it together,” the coach said. “We hadn’t beaten Medford in two years. So, it felt good.”