THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 Page 15 Football Pats earn 5th win but playoffs not assured School Committee candidate John Kingston and Heather Roberts handed out potato chips to guests. Patriots defensive tackle Walter Rodriguez corals a Somerville running back. (Advocate photos by Paul Hammersley) By Greg Phipps I n previous seasons, having fi ve wins at this point in the campaign would have meant you were basically a shoo-in for a spot in the postseason tournament. Not this year. The Revere Patriots easily rolled Sharon Silvestri as a 60s hippie, Patrick Keefe and Michaela and Jax Silvestri as themselves to a 44-6 Greater Boston League triumph over winless Somerville last Friday night at Harry Della Russo Stadium to improve to 5-2 overall. But entering week eight action, Revere was still on the outside looking in when it comes to this year’s Div. 3 tournament. The new statewide power rankings instituted by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) before this season evaluates a team’s margin of victory and strength of schedule. The top 16 teams in the rankings make the playoff s. Despite their fi ve victories, the Patriots rank 20th among teams in Div. 3. They need to climb four positions after tonight’s game at Lynn Classical in order to earn a berth. Some of the teams ahead of Revere have less wins, including No. 18 Silver Lake, which sports a 2-5 record. “We have a chance to go 6-2 and I’m looking at teams [ahead of Revere] that have three wins. That’s tough to swallow,” Patriots Head Coach Lou Cicatelli told the press this week. “Say what you will about power rankings, to win fi ve or six games, I don’t care who you’re playing, that’s not easy.” Still, Cicatelli said he underCampaign Manager Sydney Levin-Epstein, Patrick Keefe and Senate candidate/School Committee Member Anthony D’Ambrosio (Advocate photos by Tara Vocino) stands what the MIAA is trying to accomplish. The new system may need some minor adjustments in the future but doesn’t need to be overhauled. “I commend [the MIAA] for everything they try to do to fi nd true champions and make the numbers work,” he said. FOOTBALL | SEE Page 16 Patriots Sachin Neaupane fi nds a huge hole in the Somerville line. The Patriots defense swarms a Somerville running back. Leading the way is Zakaria Benkirane for Sylis Davis (2) as he heads for the end zone for another Revere touchdown. Patriots Sylis Davis reaches out for a Somerville fumble.
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