Malden football impresses in final tune-up of preseason

Tornado squad readies for Sept. 12 opener with solid scrimmage showing against BC High

By Steve Freker

No points. None. Nada.

That’s always music to a head coach’s ears, especially in a preseason final tune-up versus a quality opponent. “They did not score against our first team and we met some good challenges,” Malden High Head Coach Witche Exilhomme emphatically noted after his Tornados’ performance Friday night, “and that’s a very good Division 1 team over there.”

Coach Exilhomme was pointing across the field toward the BC High Eagles, who came to Macdonald Stadium Friday night securely nestled in everyone’s Top 20 preseason poll, in the Top 10 in some.

As far as the Malden coach was concerned, his team was right there with them on Friday. “We played very aggressively on defense and it’s something we have not shown against [this opponent] in the three years we have been facing them [in the preseason],” the fourth-year Malden head coach said, in reference to the Eagles. “We made some defensive key plays against some very skilled offensive guys tonight.”

Malden does not have a “Week 1A” start like some MIAA teams this weekend, but instead opens its regular season next week, with a home game versus non-league opponent Lynn Vocational Tech on Thursday, September 12. That’s just fine with Coach Exilhomme. “We can use the [extra] week to clean some things up and to get some more good reps on both sides of the ball,” the former Malden High and American International College (AIC) standout said.

Offensively, Malden met some stiff opposition from a big, physical and quick BC High defense and did not make many yards early on. Malden did get some first downs in the second part of the scrimmage on runs by senior captain Earl Fevrier, a 6-2, 250 H-back, and a couple of pass completions by junior quarterback Billy Gavin to various targets, including senior Brayan Jose twice.

Spearheading the defense were senior captains James Hyppolite and Kevin Exilhomme, along with defensive end Daniel Oliveira and Dwayne Saintvil. Junior defensive back Matthew Candelario Da Costa made some nice hits and tackles later in the scrimmage session.

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TORNADO WARNINGS: Malden will have a pair of freshmen making their collegiate debuts this weekend when offensive lineman Jerrell Calixte (6-3, 298 lbs.) steps on the field for Division 2 AIC in a noon Saturday home game versus Shippensburg State; and Karl Lange (5-11, 225), a linebacker, plays for Fitchburg State University at home vs. Dean College (noon start) Saturday. Both were Malden High co-captains last season and 2024 MHS graduates… Another Malden High grad is now punting for Division 1 Merrimack College: former Malden High placekicker Ronald Juarez, a sophomore. Juarez hit the game-winning field goal – twice – for Malden High in Thanksgiving Day wins over Medford, in 2018 and 2019.