MALDEN HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP: Slade Harding wins 4th straight Cross-Country Meet; Football Falls to Lynn English

Malden Field Hockey Blanks Revere, 1-0; Girls Volleyball Needs One More Win to Earn Postseason Spot

By Steve Freker

Senior captain Slade Harding raced to his fourth straight Greater Boston League (GBL) win on Senior Night for Malden High School Boys Cross Country Wednesday, capping an impressive final campaign as a Tornado runner.

Harding, who also runs for the Malden High indoor and outdoor track teams, has been one of the top performers in the GBL all season.

Malden improved to 4-2 overall as a team with the win and stayed in the hunt for the GBL title for the season. Malden concludes its season with the 2024 Greater Boston League Championship Meet on Wednesday, October 23 at 4:00 p.m. at Torbert “Torby” Macdonald Park on Fellsway West, Medford.

Before the meet on Wednesday, Malden recognized its seniors on the Boys and Girls Cross Country teams with a Senior Night celebration.

Along with Slade Harding, also being honored were seniors Ella Wu, Ivana Marinkovic, Gordon Zeng, Kevin Chin, Kevin Lin and Sean Retotal.

Two more league wins, another step toward the title
That’s the story for Malden High School Girls Volleyball this past week and it’s a familiar one for one of the most successful Golden Tornado teams.
Head Coach Dan Jurkowski’s Lady Tornados knocked off visiting Greater Boston League (GBL) rival Everett, 3-1, earlier this week on Monday, September 30 and blanked another GBLer Medford at home, 3-0, on Wednesday, September 25.
The two wins lifted Malden to a perfect 7-0 in the GBL (8-4 overall) and a half-game ahead of its closest chaser, Lynn Classical, with the LC Rams at 7-1 in the GBL and an impressive 10-1 overall. Classical’s only loss of the season was a five-set, 3-2 stumble at Malden’s Finn Gym on September 16.
In between Malden’s two league wins this past week was a 3-1 loss on the road to Framingham High on Friday September 27.
It looks like Malden’s road trip to Lynn to take on Classical at its own gym next Wednesday, October 9 will be the biggest game of the year for both teams, with the winner poised to be the top GBL team for 2024.
A win for Malden would just about clinch the title— if it wins out against the rest of the league competition. If Lynn Classical wins that one, it would tie for the GBL lead.
Next up for Malden was a home game at the Finn Gym yesterday (Thursday), after Advocate press time and then a road match at Chelsea High on Monday, October 7, just before the pivotal game at Lynn Classical next Wednesday, October 9.
All the Girls Volleyball games have 5:15 p.m. starts.
Malden High Football drops its second straight game, 40-31 on road to Northeast Metro Tech Knights
Malden High Football’s road woes continued this past weekend when the Tornados dropped a 40-31 game at Northeast Metro Vocational Tech’s field.
The loss put Malden at 1-2 overall (0-1 Greater Boston League) and was the second game in a row it surrendered big points to an opponent on the road.
Malden High Football was back in action at Macdonald Stadium in Malden last night (Thursday), hosting GBL rival Lynn Classical in the Tornados’ 2024 Homecoming Game.
On the road in Wakefield against Northeast Saturday, the game was played on the Golden Knights’ old school field that would have made Bear Bryant of The Junction Boys proud..
From the opening play of the game, when Northeast recovered the opening onside kick from Malden— and then went on its first scoring drive— not much went right for the visiting Tornados.
Penalties and turnovers continued for Malden and Northeast’s time-eating, “run first” (and second, and third) offense capitalized. The “Isaiahs” Robles and Bueno, combined to run for 260 yards and 3 touchdowns each, earning them both “Player of the Week” honors in the Boston Herald.
Malden was able to get two touchdowns on the ground from senior captain Kevin Exilhomme, but not much more offensively. Defensively, Northeast gave Malden fits as the Tornados gave up 40 points on that side of the ball for the second straight week.
Malden Girls Soccer earns third win of the season, 2-0 over J.E. Burke HS of Boston
Miriam Bouchtout scored her first goal of the season and senior Makenzie Jenkins added a big insurance goal as Malden High Girls Soccer won its third game of the season (3-8) over visiting J.E. Burke High School of Boston at Pine Banks Park in Malden on Monday, September 30.
Malden goalkeeper Imane Agoumad kept Burke off the scoreboard with 8 saves for the shutout win.
“We are starting to play better in all parts of the game,” said Malden longtime head coach Rick Caceda. “Miriam (Bouchtout) and Makenzie (Jenkins) were real leaders in this game.”
Bouchtout was named Golden Tornado Club “Player of the Week” for Girls Soccer for scoring what turned out to be the eventual game winning goal.
Malden Girls Soccer fell, 2-1, in a close loss on the road at Lynn English Tuesday night at Manning Field and was scheduled to host Everett yesterday (Thursday) at Pine Banks Park in Malden.
Next week Malden hosts Somerville (Tuesday, October 8, 4:15 p.m.) and Medford (Thursday, October 10, 4:15 p.m.) at Pine Banks Park in Malden.
Malden Boys Soccer sought first win at Everett Thursday
Malden High Boys Soccer traveled next door to Everett High at 7 Acres Park  yesterday (Thursday) in search of its first win of the season.
Malden entered the game at 0-7-2 overall following a 4-0 shutout loss at home versus Lynn English Tuesday. Tuesday’s game was the start of five road games in a row for Malden.
Next week, Malden is on the road for three Greater Boston League matches, at Manning Field in Lynn Monday at 5:15 versus Lynn English in a makeup game; Tuesday, October 8 at Dilboy Stadium in Somerville, versus the Highlanders at 4:15 p.m.; and at Medford next Thursday, October 10 at Medford HS turf at 4:15 p.m.
Malden-Revere coop Golf Team seeks win today vs. Lynn English
Malden-Revere coop Golf hosts Lynn English today at 4:15 p.m. seeking to break a 3-match losing streak. Today’s match is at Mt. Hood Golf Course in Melrose.
Malden dropped three close ones in a row over the past week, 38-34 to Somerville; 38.5-33.5 to Salem;  and 37-35 to Lynn Classical.
Malden Cross Country hosts three meets in three weeks coming up
A lot of “home cooking” will be enjoyed by Malden High girls and boys cross country over the next two weeks as the Tornados will host three straight Wednesday meets at Pine Banks Park.
The opponents were Somerville this past Wednesday. Malden boys (1-3) and girls (1-3) will then host Revere (October 9) and Lynn English (October 16) on the next two Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. at Pine Banks.

Malden Football Falls Short in 26-13 loss to Lynn English

Malden Football came up short in a 26-13 loss on the road at Lynn English last Friday.

Malden trailed 13-6 at halftime and traded touchdowns with English in the third quarter, trailing 20-13 and driving late in the quarter, but the first of two stalled drives left Malden behind entering the final quarter.

Late in the game Lynn English intercepted a Malden pass deep in Malden territory and stuck in a late touchdown to put it out of reach.

Malden did launch a last-minute drive, but two passes were dropped and Lynn English got the ball back and ran out the clock.

Malden dropped its fourth straight game after a season-opening win and now stands at 1-4 overall (0-4 GBL). The Tornados are back in action tonight on the road at Chelsea high.

Malden returns home next week, hosting Revere on Thursday, October 24 at 6:00 p.m.

Kevin Chen scores, Ashley Cullity throws shutout in goal as Malden Field Hockey Blanks Revere, 1-0

Kevin Chen scored the only goal and Malden High Field Hockey shut out visiting Revere, `1-0 on Senior Night at Macdonald Stadium Wednesday night.

Senior goalkeeper Ashley Cullity earned the shutout win for Malden in the net.

Malden improved to an undefeated 3-0-1 in the Greater Boston League (6-5-1 overall) with the win and can clinch its third straight GBL Championship with a win or a tie on the road at Everett this coming Monday, October 21 at Seven Acres Park, Everett at 4:00 p.m.

    Malden Girls Volleyball splits for week, needs one more win to qualify for postseason

Malden Girls Volleyball topped Revere on the road, 3-1, but then fell to Lynn English, 3-1, on Wednesday. Lynn English clinched the 2024 GBL title with the win.

Malden fell to 9-8 overall and out of the Greater Boston League race with 4 losses in its last 5 games, a 1-4 road trip over the past two weeks.

Malden can still get a MIAA Division 1 State Girls Volleyball Tournament spot with a win in any of its last three games, at home on Monday, October 21 against Medford (5:15 p.m. start), or against non-leaguers Framingham (Wednesday, October 23 or Friday, October 25 (Northeast Metro Tech).