English
Spanish
Portuguese
Arabic
Haitian Creole
Chinese (Traditional)
McGuffie runs for 148 yards, 3 more TDs, 2 Conversions on ‘Pink Out’ Night
By Steve Freker
Despite the solid competition, it was still “Home, Sweet Home” for Malden High football in its Homecoming Game at friendly Macdonald Stadium on October 16 against Chelsea. Call them the “new and improved” Chelsea Red Devils Football Team. They certainly do NOT just show up anymore and become cannon fodder for their GBL opponent of the week.
Red Devils Football has been competitive in every game they’ve played this year but one, and at 2-4 overall, could easily be at .500 with a couple of one-score losses. The Malden High School Golden Tornado squad found this out up close and personal Thursday night when they had to scratch, claw and battle just about to the end of the game for a 22-8 victory, the Blue and Gold’s second (2-4) of the year.
In addition to being the Homecoming Game, it was also “Pink Out” Night for Malden High Football, as the fans, cheerleaders, players and coaches recognized October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The MHS Golden Tornado Club — the booster club for MHS Athletics — sponsored “Pink Out” Night, as it has Malden’s other Theme Night.
It was another big night for sophomore star running back Jayden McGuffie, which made the difference. McGuffie ran for 148 yards on 17 carries, scored all three Malden touchdowns and also two extra point conversions for 22 more points. For the season, the 5-10, 180 lb. dynamo now has 11 TDs and seven conversions for a whopping 91 points, second in all of MIAA Division 3 Football.
Malden’s defense played solid all game long against a team that has averaged 22 points a game — its best showing offensively in years. Notable guys on “D” for Malden were senior Matt Candelario Da Costa, a two-year starter at cornerback, junior defensive back Josh Bly, linebacker and senior captain Kenny Melgar Turcio, senior edge rusher Colin Okoth and linebacker Ismail Elbahlawan. Candelario Da Costa had his best game of the season with 7 tackles, 2 assists and a pass deflection.
“Defensively, we finally put together 4 quarters of football, something we have been missing earlier this season,” said 5th-year Malden Head Coach Witche Exilhomme. “In other games this year it has been frustrating when we play well and get stops defensively in one half and then, for whatever reason, let down in the other half.”
Not on this night. Chelsea scored one TD on the evening — late in the first half — and Malden, playing “bend but don’t break” at times, did not allow any more scores. The two teams battled scoreless in the first quarter — trading turnovers via lost fumbles — before each squad broke through with a touchdown, both coming within the final three minutes of the first half.
McGuffie scored his first of three TDs with 3:31 left to play in the first half, jetting around the left end off a great block by sophomore tight end J.J. Scott, which sealed the edge for his classmate’s 11-yard jaunt to the end zone. A couple of shorter McGuffie runs and a 27-yard pass reception by junior Josh Bly from senior quarterback Billy Gavin, a spinning catch at the 18-yard line, were key to the scoring drive.
The 8-0 lead was short-lived, as Chelsea took the ensuing kickoff and after a healthy return inside Malden territory to the Golden Tornado 47-yard line, the Red Devils used the limited time left on the clock judiciously, driving down the field and getting an 8-yard TD from Leeandro Castro to make it 8-6, Malden. Alex Pinto ran in the conversion points to tie the game at 8-8 just before the halftime horn.
The game stayed tight in the second half, with Malden getting another TD from McGuffie in the third quarter. A long drive downfield for Malden, using McGuffie runs, a pass reception by Nathan Schonton and an 8-yard Gavin keeper to the Chelsea 11-yard line set up a 1-yard plunge by McGuffie. The Red Devil defense stuffed the Malden conversion try, and Malden led, 12-8, as the third quarter came to a close.
The fourth quarter was also a tight one, though the Malden defense was front-and-center, turning in another solid effort and throwing another zero at Chelsea for the period. Malden picked up a giant insurance score when McGuffie tackled on his third touchdown of the game, this time of the electric variety. McGuffie burst toward the line, then cut to the right and then around the end. He juked past one potential tackler, and then it was all green the rest of the way down the Macdonald Stadium for a 57-yard TD sprint. McGuffie then ran it in for the conversion, his 21st and 22nd points of the game, to add to his season totals.
***
TORNADO WARNINGS: Malden (2-2 GBL, 2-4 overall) was back in action tonight on the road vs. Revere (1-3 GBL, 1-5 overall) at Harry Della Russo Stadium with a 6:00 p.m. start… Malden Head Coach Witche Exilhomme said he and his staff are looking forward to tonight’s game at Revere. “We have not had a lot of success against [Revere] the past couple of years, but we know they will bring a tough brand of football like they do every year,” Coach Exilhomme said. “We have to match that.” ….Malden will host a Malden-Revere sub-varsity game Saturday at Macdonald Stadium at 10:00 a.m. In the “Future Looks Bright” Dept., Malden has been fielding 40-45 players (!!) at its sub-varsity game, while keeping 16-20 Varsity players from this action. In the last two games, MHS sophomore quarterback Devin Otero Milonopoulos has scored four touchdowns and four conversions, for 32 points in his first year of high school football. Sophomore Nick D’Anna scored his first-ever TD in his first year of football, ever. Both Otero and D’Anna were Varsity starters for the 14-7 Golden Tornado Baseball team last spring.
BOXSCORE
Malden 22, Chelsea 8
Chelsea 0 8 0 0 —8
Malden 0 8 6 8 —22
First quarter
No scoring
Second Quarter
Malden — Jayden McGuffie, 11-yard run (McGuffie run)
Chelsea — Leandro Castro, 6-yard run (Alex Pinto run)
Third Quarter
Malden — McGuffie 1-yard run (rush failed)
Fourth quarter
Malden — McGuffie, 57-yard run (McGuffie rush)
***
MALDEN FOOTBALL (2-2 GBL, 2-4 Overall)
2025 Schedule
Fri., 9/12 — Lynn Tech 27, Malden 14
Thurs., 9/18 — Malden 14, Somerville 12
Thurs., 9/25 — Northeast 42, Malden 14
Sat., 10/4 — Lynn Classical 13, Malden 8
Thurs., 10/9 — Lynn English 46, Malden 30
Thurs., 10/16 — Malden 22, Chelsea 8
Fri., 10/24 — Malden at Revere, 6 p.m.
Thurs., 10/30 — Malden v. Whittier, 6 p.m. Senior Night
Week of 11/7 — Playoff/Consolation
Week of 11/4 — Playoff/Consolation
Thurs., 11/27 — Malden at Medford, 10 a.m. 138th Thanksgiving Day Classic
