Revere High School boys soccer is back and boy can the Minutemen fill the net
There have been so many T-shirts printed about tradition that it would keep an eclipse of moths in business for decades.
If it’s Revere and you’re talking about boys soccer, the Minutemen don’t need a catchy little phrase printed on cotton to get pumped.
Winning is expected at Everett Road.
“The bar's always set high,” coach Nick DePompei said. “It's not rebuild. It's kind of retool and get going again. They all know the expectations, which is very nice. The personnel is going to change. You’ve got to step in and fill that role. The way we play and the dynamic of this group is a little different than last year, but the goal is still the same and they know that."
It isn't about what happened, it's about what will come next for Revere
Last season, Revere played in its second straight regional final with dreams of returning to the state finals like it did in 2016 and 2018.
The dream came to a halt when eventual state champion Shawnee won 3-2 in an incredibly wind-aided contest at Bowling Green.
Eight starters graduated, including first-team All-Ohioan Desmond Johnston (15 goals, 10 assists) and super scorer Ryan Brown (17, 9).
No big deal for the Minutemen, who brought back A.J. Catlett, Jeff Boyle and Zach Iler.
The captains have Revere undefeated through three games after a 4-1 win over Marlington on Tuesday.
“It's a lot of hard work in the offseason,” Catlett said. “It starts early and it never really slows down. The work is hard and it's honestly really tiring. We run a lot, but we make sure that we come together as a team. … We keep working hard to make sure we come back stronger every game.”
Keeper Jake Nations is back as a letterwinner as are Joe Brown, Gavin Boltz, Jacob Thomas and Will Sharp.
That’s enough power to make the two-time reigning Suburban League American Conference champions a player once again for another title.
Stay 'Halm' and play the beautiful game
While it’s only a three-game sample, the Minutemen appear to have found themselves a scorer in Dylan Halm.
The Detroit native played for the MLS Next Michigan Wolves SC last season.
“When I first moved here, everyone told me it was a soccer school,” Halm said. “I didn't really know what to expect. Now playing with them, I realize we really work good together and I have a lot of good players.”
The senior is one of those players with 10 goals this season.
That includes four against Kenston and Marlington and a two-spot against Hubbard in the season opener.
“Anytime you can get somebody that is just born to put the ball in back of the net it’s great,” DePompei said. “I think there are players on the team that kind of graciously fit in different roles. In particular. I mean, A.J. is that person. On any other day, he could be that scorer if we wanted him to. I think he probably has eight or nine assists of Dylan's 10 goals this year. The fact that he's kind of put that team first has been a huge deal, too.”
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Revere High School boys soccer is back, ready to wreak havoc
