THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, November 12, 2021 Page 13 Malden High’s Golden Tornado Club’s 35th Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction – Nov. 20 Doors will open for eight inductees and the 1973 Hockey Team By Steve Freker T he Golden Tornado Club, the booster organization for Malden High School athletics, will host its 35th Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony on Saturday, November 20 at the Malden Moose Hall (562 Broadway, Malden). This year’s event, which is already a sellout, will recognize six former standout student-athletes from Malden High’s glory-filled sports past as well as the players and coaches from the 1973 Hockey Team, which is now acknowledged as the perhaps the best assembled in Golden Tornadoes lore. Special awards bestowed that night include the Distinguished Service Award, which will go to Don Nally, for his many years of service to the club, and the Golden Eagle Award. The Golden Eagle Award goes to Boys Volleyball Head Coach Dan Jurkowski. A former player, Kenny Nguyen, penned the winning Golden Eagle Essay on what Coach Jurkowski has meant to him and gets a $1,000 scholarship from the Golden Tornado Club. In addition to the 1973 Hockey Team, there will be six individual inductees, including: Michael Byrne (Class of 1972, football, basketball, baseball); Mario Fosco (Class of 1991, soccer and football); Kaitlyn DeVincentis (Class of 2005, softball); Rachel Timmons (Class of 2005, field hockey, basketball, softball); Anthony Pappagallo (Class of 2006, football, basketball, baseball); Annie Abber (Class of 2009, basketball and softball). The 1973 hockey team made it to the semifinals of the Eastern Mass. Schoolboy Hockey The 1973 Malden High School hockey team went further than any team in MHS history in postseason play: to the semifinals of the Eastern Mass. State Hockey Tournament. The team included the following: front row, left to right: Al Ruelle, Bob McCarthy, Kevin Howard, Ray Porter, Steve Sideri, Gary DeSousa, Jim McGonagle, Dan Boland, Joe Mayne; back row, left to right: Coach Joe Bogan, Dave Surette, Bob DiMeco, Matt Marden, Tom O’Connor, Mike Stefanilo, John Finnegan, John MacDonald, Rich Howard, Bob Gallagher, Mike Marcucella, Steve Surette, Head Coach Bill McCormack. (Courtesy/Bob McCarthy) Championship, the furthest a Malden High team ever went in school history. The team included Al Ruelle, Bob McCarthy, Kevin Howard, Ray Porter, Steve Sideri, Gary DeSousa, Jim McGonagle, Dan Boland (Captain), Joey Mayne, Dave Surette, Bob DiMeco, Matty Marden, Tom O’Connor, Mike Stefanilo, John Finnegan, John MacDonald, Rich Howard, Bob Gallagher, Mike Marcucella, Steve Surette and Head Coach Bill McCormack. The event is sold out. For more information, please contact Jeanne Marquardo in the Malden High School Athletics Office at 781-397-6007. —Steve Freker is President of the Golden Tornado Club and Chairperson of the Hall of Fame Dinner Committee COVID-19 cases hit another plateau Doctors warn that pandemic is still not over By Christopher Roberson T he COVID-19 pandemic continues to hang on despite the tremendous progress that has been made to control the spread of the virus. Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the Infectious Diseases Division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said the number of cases is leveling off once again. “Things are slowing down, but gradually,” he said, adding that 1,000 to 2,000 cases are being reported every day for a positivity rate of two percent. Kuritzkes was also clear about what needs to happen to move away from the plateau and continue the downward trend. “The rest of the population that hasn’t been vaccinated needs to get vaccinated,” he said. In addition, Kuritzkes said “substantial transmission” has continued among school-age children. “They are the remaining vulnerable population,” he said. In Everett, 52 residents in the 0-19 age group tested positive for COVID-19 during the month of October. In September, 82 cases were reported. Regarding the vaccination rates, 64 percent of residents ages 12-19 have been fully vaccinated. Looking ahead, Kuritzkes said he does not see COVID-19 going away completely, adding that it could eventually become endemic much like influenza. “Unfortunately, I don’t see any reason for real optimism,” said Kuritzkes. David Cecere, spokesperson for Cambridge Health Alliance, said that while there have been significant improvements, the pandemic is not likely to go away any time soon. “While things are better than they were this time last year, we are still seeing COVID-related infections,” he said. “It’s premature to call for an approaching end to the pandemic.” Dr. David Hamer of Boston Medical Center agreed that COVID-19 cases have been steady since early September. He also said it is safe to “mix and match” vaccines when getting a booster shot. In fact, Hamer said he advises patients who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to get their booster shot using either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. However, he said there continues to be new waves of the virus. “There will be a constant risk of reintroduction; we’re coming down from our most recent wave,” said Hamer. “It’s still a pandemic.” Hamer also agreed with Kuritzkes in that the virus could become endemic. “We need to learn to live with it,” said Hamer. According to the state Department of Public Health (DPH), 4.7 million residents have been fully vaccinated and approximately 630,000 residents have received booster shots. However, the DPH also reported that 54,200 individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated. As of November 8, the total number of cases in Massachusetts had risen to 803,165, according to the DPH. Within that figure, COVID-19 has taken the lives of 18,689 residents. Putting that in perspective, the town of Foxboro has a population of 18,618, according to the 2020 census.
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