Page 12 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, November 6, 2026 FLIPPING THE SCRIPT: Malden Boys Soccer Qualifies for MIAA D1 State Tourney Tornados end 3-year postseason drought; Team now riding a 4-game unbeaten streak Captain Abdul Kalefa Captain Juan Caballero Valencia Elyass Elbani Hassan Freeman-Kaylir Iyad Doukkali Matheus Lima Mogos Ghile Johnny Goncalves de Matos By Steve Freker T hey made a pledge to each other and this group of TorWisner Etienne nado soccer boys backed it up with some good, old-fashioned effort, mixed with healthy doses of preparation and motivaYusuf Zoulgami tion. Last week, all the hard work and commitment paid off when the Malden High School Varsity Soccer team ended a three-year postseason drought by clinching a berth in the MIAA Division 1 State Soccer Tournament for the first time since 2022. Head Coach Jeremiah Smith’s squad clinched the spot in the 2026 postseason on the strength of a 2-1 win on the road Thursday night at Lynn Classical on Manning Field. Super-soph Richardo Lopez The Malden High Varsity Boys Soccer Team and Head Coach Jeremiah Smith celebrate Tuesday’s 4-0 shutout victory over visiting Lynn English at Macdonald Stadium in Malden. (Courtesy/ Malden Public Schools Athletics) Quintero and senior tri-captain Abdul Kalefa each scored a goal to stake Malden to a 2-0 halftime lead, and the visiting Tornados outlasted the host Rams in the second half, surrendering just a late solo goal to seal the win. That win lifted Malden to 8-4-2 overall, securing the needed 18th point in the standings Spencer Paul (2 pts. for a win, 1 pt. for a tie) to earn the postseason spot. Since then, a cloud seemingly lifted for the Tornados, as they have soared to two more wins, including a loud, 7-0 victory less than 13 hours after the tourney-clinching win, a shutout over Gloucester at home Friday. Tornado sophomore Sam Rochelin brought the house down with a raucous, 4-goal scoring performance, which included a natural, consecutive 3-goal “hat trick’ in the first half, at Pine Banks Park in Malden. Then came a back-to-back blanking, 4-0, over visiting Lynn English on Tuesday night under the lights at Macdonald Stadium. For the record, the Tornados were riding a fourgame unbeaten streak heading into Thursday night’s game in the Greater Boston League Cup FOUR-GOAL SCORER: Malden High sophomore Sam Rochelin busted out for a rare 4-goal scoring game in an eventual 7-0 victory over visiting nonleaguer Gloucester at Pine Banks Park in Malden on Friday. (Courtesy/Malden Public Schools Athletics) consolation series (played after Advocate press time). In Tuesday’s win, sophomore Lopez Quintero scored his 11th and 12th goals of the season, and co-captain Juan Caballero Valencia and junior Giuseppe Vargas added single scores to pace the victory over the Bulldogs. Junior goalkeeper Wender De Abreu Moura made 9 saves. Malden recorded a major victory for pride and standings, SOCCER | SEE PAGE 15
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