Malden High football looking for big start in season opener tonight

Golden Tornado squad on the road at Manning Field, Lynn vs. Lynn Tech, 7 p.m.

 

By Steve Freker

 

Witche Exilhomme has been at this juncture well into the double digits now, as a player at several levels and now as a coach. We are talking football season openers, and the fifth-year Malden High School head coach knows that every one of them is a different page, the first chapter in that year’s story.

“There is always a lot of excitement around the first game and there is so much preparation,” Coach Exilhomme said. “Whether it is their first high school game ever or if they are a senior in their last season, it means a lot to all of our players and coaches.”

Malden High School opens its 2025 season tonight at 7:00 at Manning Field in Lynn, taking on host Lynn Vocational Technical Institute. It is the season opener for both teams. Coach Exilhomme said he is pleased with the preseason work from his Golden Tornado team and that he and his coaching staff are optimistic about Malden’s chances this season navigating the Greater Boston League and non-league schedules.

For Malden, the goals are the same as every season, the coach said. “We want to compete in every game, prepare to win each week and of course earn a playoff spot,” Coach Exilhomme said.

The former Malden High School star is also hoping his team can break what is now a 10-year drought to see the Tornado squad as Greater Boston League champion. Malden last took home the GBL title in the 2015 season, a year capped with a big win over then next-door rival Everett.

All roads this season lead to the 138th Malden-Medford Thanksgiving Day game, which this year is being played at Hormel Stadium in Medford, and this year is on Thursday, November 27. Kickoff is the traditional 10:00 a.m.

Coach Exilhomme said he is expecting a battle from Lynn Tech, as it was in last year’s game, a 27-20 Malden win. The Golden Tornados jumped out to an early 20–0 lead in the first quarter. Malden senior Johnson Huynh was instrumental in building the early lead, scoring two touchdowns on punt returns, which is believed to be a single-game school record. The Tigers fought their way back into the game, cutting Malden’s lead to just seven points late in the fourth quarter. However, they were unable to complete the comeback.

Coach Exilhomme is hoping his team strikes fast and then lets his defense go to work. “We have a lot of solid athletes on our team and some of them are experienced and some are basically new to the sport, but they have a lot of energy and they are willing to learn, and they have learned a lot.”

Malden will be relying on the experience they do bring back, starting with sophomore sensation Jayden McGuffie, who set school single-game rushing and scoring records (342 yards, 6 touchdowns) and ran for over 1,300 yards as a freshman last year. McGuffie, 5-10, 180 lbs., has added 15 pounds to his frame and, according to Coach Exilhomme, “[McGuffie’s] even faster.” McGuffie is forecast to be one of the most heavily recruited student-athletes on record at Malden High.

“Every [college] in the region and beyond has seen Jayden’s film and they are requesting more as this season goes along,” the Malden coach said, noting McGuffie — as just a freshman — already received a scholarship offer from a Division 1 school, Syracuse (N.Y.) University.

Malden will have a new starting quarterback for the first time since 2020, as four-year starter Aidan Brett has moved on to the college ranks, on the roster at Westfield State University Owl football this fall.

Manning the controls on offense this season is senior newly appointed captain Billy Gavin, a 6-0, 175 slinger with a solid arm and quick feet, who starred this past spring season as an All-Star pitcher for Malden High’s 14-7 baseball team. Gavin was a backup last year to Brett — his first season playing on the football team — and impressed in small sample sizes, with several touchdown passes to his credit. Coach Exilhomme likes what he sees so far.

“[Gavin] has done a very good job so far. He has learned the offense and has also shown a lot of leadership, that’s why he has been named a captain. He is a very valuable part of our team now for his second year,” the coach said.

Gavin’s top targets will be senior 6-1 split end and captain Manny Perez and sophomore 6-1 split end Nathan Schonton, who saw plenty of varsity time as a freshman last season. Another newcomer will also be a passing target this season: junior Josh Bly, who will line up at H-back.

The offensive and defensive starters look like this:

 

MALDEN OFFENSE

QB: Billy Gavin, Sr. (Capt.) (6-1, 175).

RB: Jayden McGuffie, So. (5-10, 180).

WR: Manny Perez, Sr. (Capt.) (6-1, 175).

WR: Nathan Schonton, So. (6-1, 175).

SB: Josh Bly, Jr. (5-9, 170).

LT: Jaheim Fracillon, Sr. (6-3, 295).

LG: Ismail Ebaldowan, Sr. (6-0, 245).

C: Jonathan Ventura, Sr. (5-10, 225).

RG: Ashcraft Amine, Jr. (5-10, 285).

RT: Waslin Etienne, Jr. (6-0, 260).

MALDEN DEFENSE

S: Dante Bell, Jr. (6-1, 165).

S: Matt Candelario DaCosta, Sr. (5-10, 150).

CB: Jayden Gonzalez, Jr. (5-11, 155).

CB: Djeeterson Pierre, Sr. (6-1, 160).

LB: Jonathan Ventura, Jr. (5-10, 225).

LB: Ismail Ebladowan, Sr. (6-0, 245).

LB: Jayden McGuffie, So. (5-10, 180).

DE: Colin Okoth, Sr. (6-3, 255).

DE: Waslin Etienne, Jr. (6-0, 260).

DT: Jaheim Francillon, Sr. (6-3, 295).

DT: Mike Onechka, Sr. (6-1, 275).

***

Here’s the rest of the Malden High Varsity Football Schedule:

Thursday, Sept. 18: vs. Somerville, Macdonald Stadium, Malden, 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 25: vs. Northeast Metro Tech, Macdonald Stadium, Malden, 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 4: vs. Lynn Classical, Manning Field, Lynn, 5:00 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 9: vs. Lynn English, Macdonald Stadium, 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, Oct 16: vs. Chelsea, Macdonald Stadium, Malden, 6:00 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 24: vs. Revere, Della Russo Stadium, Revere, 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, Oct .30; vs. Whittier Tech, Macdonald Stadium, Malden, 6:00 p.m.

Week of Nov. 7: Playoff or Consolation Game, TBA

Week of Nov. 14: Playoff or Consolation Game, TBA

THANKSGIVING GAME

Thursday, Nov. 27: vs. Medford, Hormel Stadium, Medford, 10:00 a.m.