Ashton Calixte and Gabriela Parini Cordova contributed to this article.
The Golden Tornadoes have hit the midseason point of their season.
Currently, the team sits with a record of two wins and four losses, and with a record of 1-3 in the Greater Boston League, they currently sit in 7th place. So far, their struggles have come from the defensive side, with a total of 178 points allowed. Alternatively, their offense has been strong with a total of 185 points scored. Their two wins have come from their season opener against Lynn Tech (27-20), and after an unexpected 4-game struggle, the Tornadoes demolished the Chelsea Red Devils 47-12.
So far, the Tornadoes have played just three games at home (1-2), while they have now played four games away (1-3). With just one game left in the season, Malden will end the year with the long-awaited Thanksgiving game against their rival, the Medford Mustangs.
Another key component of the team’s struggles has been the loss of crucial players on both sides of the field. Senior captain Kevin Exilhomme elaborated on this issue, saying that “we lost some key players due to injuries and grades, which has kept us from dominating constantly this season.” Before the season even commenced, . the team had already lost two of the five captains: both senior linebacker James Hyppolite and senior running back and linebacker Matt Britto, who suffered season-ending injuries early in the season, leading to the team’s defensive struggles.
Despite flourishes on the offensive end, their defense and discipline have been the team’s struggle. Exilhomme emphasized that “there have just been too many times we shot ourselves in the foot, whether with penalties or just recurring mistakes that put us in bad positions, which has hurt us in the end.”
Eliezer Perez lined up as slot receiver. GABRIELA PARINI CORDOVA
With the loss of two captains, Exilhomme stepped up into a very important role as a leader for the Tornadoes. “As a captain, I try my best to keep the team morale up. At the end of the day, those 11 guys that go out with you are your brothers, so it’s important to have a brotherhood relationship. You play better as a team when you know your brothers have your back, but sometimes, keeping the team’s morale up can be hard because it seems that things just continue to not go in our favor,” he explained.
Despite the team’s record, they have remained focused and fostered a tight-knit community. “The team has provided me with so much opportunity and support that I feel I must give back by putting my everything into helping the team gain further success,” said senior safety Xavier Coulanges Blaise. The Tornadoes have played their hearts out this year and gained connections with each other that they will carry throughout their lives.
Remaining engaged, the team looks forward to the end of their season and making a final push through its conclusion.
