Page 16 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, April 25, 2025 GREATER BOSTON LEAGUE: Malden sits atop GBL Baseball race; Somerville leads Boys Volleyball; Everett unbeaten in Girls Softball Malden and Somerville both undefeated at 3-0 to lead Boys Tennis standings; Malden Girls Tennis in 1st place at 4-0 By Steve Freker W hen the season began, it was generally agreed that a number of teams could challenge for the top spot in the Greater Boston League Baseball race. Lynn Classical dominated the GBL when it first joined the league – coming over with Lynn English from the Northeastern Conference – winning back-toback league titles and putting together an eye-opening, 35-5 record overall in 2022 and 2023. With a young team from last season a year older and one of the top players in the league, Chris Figueroa, anchoring its pitching staff and playing shortstop, the Classical Rams were expected to challenge once again for the GBL crown. Also expected to be right near the top of the race this season was Coach Orazio Azzarello’s Medford Mustangs. With a solid all-junior tandem of 6-3 John Wright and fellow righty Travers Moodie, the Blue and White will be in every game with one of those guys on the mound. Add in All-Everything football star Justin Marino – perhaps the best overall athlete in the GBL – and Medford’s looking solid. Somerville surprised many with its first GBL Baseball Championship in decades last year, with an impressive 12-2 league mark and 15-5 overall, led by league Most Valuable Player seMOUNTAIN VIEW TERRACE APARTMENTS 27 Mountain View Drive Stoneham, MA 02180 781-438-9111 (Phone) 800-439-2370 or 711 (TTY) 781-438-6271 (Fax) infomvt@atlantictambone.com Effective May 1, 2025 the following waiting lists will open for 60-days. One Bedroom Elderly/Disabled Two Bedroom Elderly/Disabled Applications will be accepted to be put in a lottery for position on the wait list. Position on the wait list will be assigned by July 15, 2025. All Other Waitlists will remain closed and applications will not be accepted. Applications for the open waitlists may be requested via email infomvt@atlantictambone.com or by mail, telephone or electronically (fax or email). Be sure to include your Name and mailing address and composition of the family – meaning how many adults and age. Applications will also be available on May 1, 2025 at the following locations: * Mystic Valley Elder Services, 300 Commercial Street, Malden, MA 02148 * Tri-CAP, 110 Pleasant St, Malden, MA 02148 * Veterans Affairs, 136 Elm Street, Stoneham, MA 02180 * Stoneham Senior Center, 136 Elm Street, Stoneham, MA 02180 Rents are based on 30% of Adjusted Monthly Income. nior Ian Born. Born has since taken his talents to Swarthmore College. His former teammates, now sophomore Preston Ardolino and his brother, junior Colin Born, remain two of the top players in the GBL, but the Highlanders are young overall and have gotten off to a slow start. A dark horse in this year’s GBL is none other than Everett. Two young, but talented ballplayers transferred into Everett High this year, and Crimson Tide Head Coach Malik Love could not be happier. Sophomore slugger and recent pitcher Tyler Freni came over after spending his freshman year as a Malden Catholic student and has already made his mark as a Tide football starter (linebacker) last fall. The son of former MC baseball All-Star (1992) Marc Freni, the younger Freni has become one of Coach Love’s most reliable hitters. Another Everett High newcomer, M.J. Guida, has settled right into the mix as the Tide’s starting catcher. Just a freshman, Guida was a key player as only an eighth-grader for coach Bryan Straccia’s Mystic Valley Regional Charter School Eagles last season. Everett has already surpassed last year’s win total (4) with a 6-4 mark at the season’s halfway point. A return to the MIAA Division 1 State Baseball Tournament remains a major goal. Revere righthanded pitcher Dom Bellia is as good as anyone in the league and was one out away from upsetting league leader Malden last week before some late-game heroics added up to a Malden comeback victory. Malden caught fire at midseason last year and ripped off 9 wins in a row to close out the spring, giving Somerville a run for its money and finished with its best record (16-4) in 30 years. After seeing its top four hitters and two pitchers who registered Coach Dan Jurkowski has Malden Volleyball near the top of the Greater Boston League standings as the season nears its midpoint. (Courtesy/Malden High Blue and Gold) 11 of its 16 pitching wins depart after last season, Malden was not heralded very highly coming into this season. All that has changed quite quickly as the Golden Tornados, led by just about everyone on its roster, sprinted out to one of its best starts in school history – a perfect 8-0 – before dropping a 7-3 loss to visiting Medford this week on Patriots’ Day. Malden reBASEBALL| SEE PAGE 18
17 Publizr Home