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THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Wednesday, November 27, 2024 Page 21 GAME | FROM PAGE 20 get solid efforts out of a pair of youngsters: a freshman starting at quarterback, Gene Consalves, and junior Nick Olivier out of the backfield. Malden’s three best defensive players in this shutout win were juniors Austin Teal, “Witche” Exilhomme and Jamie McInerney, all of whom were named tri-captains for the 2011 season. 2011: This one was all Malden as the visitors may have scored the fastest touchdown in the 124-game series history when junior Ray Sainristil dove on a fumble in the end zone after Medford’s first snap from scrimmage. Thereafter, it was never in doubt, as junior quarterback Jake Martino threw three firsthalf touchdown passes on the way to a 36-0 Malden win – two shutouts in a row and for the first time in 50 years, five straight Malden Thanksgiving victories (9 of 10 since 2002). It was the fourth time in series history that Malden won two years in a row by shutout, the first since 20022003 (12-0, 7:0). Head Coach Joe Pappagallo’s Malden team posted the biggest Thanksgiving shutout win in over 100 years, since a 1907 Blue & Gold victory by a 44-0 count. Malden used its size and speed advantage to pile up points for a 28-0 halftime lead. After Sainristil’s fumble recovery touchdown, Malden made it 14-0 after the first quarter on a five-yard touchdown pass from Martino to senior captain Witchevalence “Witche” Exilhomme and a Martino keeper for two. Malden stayed in air raid mode in the second quarter – Martino to senior Garvin Cius for a 23-yard TD pass, with a Pat DeCicco run for a 22-0 lead. Late in the second quarter, Martino hooked up again, hitting junior Franklin Huynh for a 15-yard TD pass. Malden played ball control in the second half, feeding top back O’Shane McCreath, who picked up 87 yards on just 11 carries and became the first Malden back to top 1,000 yards rushing in a season (1,012) since Ricky Bethelmie ran for 1,130 in 2002. Martino threw for 198 yards on the game, 1,550 for the year and 19 TDs. Malden’s defense ruled for the shutout win led by fellow co-captains Austin Teal, Jamie McInerney and Exilhomme, the best defensive player in the GBL in 2011. Tyler Williams’ 32-yard interception return for the game’s final points five minutes into the second half completed the scoring. The Mustangs had some solid play from Max Clancy, Chris Bucknam and Reggie Fleurial. Medford started a freshman at quarterback in this one, for maybe the first time in series history, in Gene Conclaves. They were hurt by the loss of top offensive weapon and senior back Nick Olivier, who was injured and out of action for this one – gametime decision. It ended up being the final Thanksgiving game on the sidelines for third-year Head Coach Rico Dello Iacono, who stepped down after Game Three in the 2012 Mustang season. He went 0-3 for the holiday classic. 2012: The largest crowd in years turned out for this historic 125th Game held at Macdonald Stadium in Malden under a fabulous, sunny sky with temperatures perfect – around 40 degrees. Malden won the game, by a 32-6 final, to capture its sixth straight, behind the passing of senior QB Jake Martino, who completed 12 of 23 passes for 123 yards on the day. Junior Reggie Thelemaque led Medford from the QB spot with 89 yards rushing. He scored Medford’s only TD on an exciting, 54yard run to open the third quarter. Junior Malik McLaren finished with 72 yards on 14 carries. Senior Rodney Blaise scored two TDs for Malden on a threeyard run in the second quarter and on a five-yard pass from Martino in the third. Junior Ray Sainristil opened the scoring with a first quarter, one-yard TD plunge. Senior Captain Paul Kiernan caught a two-point conversion pass from Martino for an 8-0 Malden lead. Senior Patrick Provitola, who also played great at linebacker, caught a two-point conversion pass. Sainristil scored two TDs. 2013: For one of the few times in the series’ ancient 126-game history, Malden High scored as many points defensively (eight) as offensively in a holiday win, topping host Medford, 16-0, at cold and blustery Hormel Stadium. The wind chill was even lower than the Malden final score on this day. Malden scored on its first possession on a 21-yard run by Raymond Sainristil. The extra-point conversion try was no good, and it stayed 6-0 until Malden senior captain Jensen Ayuk leveled Medford’s Xavier Gibson on the very last play of the first half, scooped the loose ball and ran it in for a safety – Malden 8-0 at the half. Medford’s defense also played tough, causing three Malden fumbles on the day, recoveries by Mustangs Matt Sullivan and Gibson. Ayuk struck again midway through the third quarter, running back an interception off Mustang QB Reg Thelemaque for a 58-yard Pick 6 score. Malden QB Loveng Francois ran in the two-point conversion for the 16-0 final. 2014: This was another classic “throw out the records” upset win that few saw coming, except for those on the Medford sidelines, of course. Under a full cover of snow, over a foot on the artificial surface of Malden’s Macdonald Stadium before it was cleared by gametime, second-year Medford Head Coach Jason Nascimento recorded his first Thanksgiving Day coaching win in a 36-12 win over host Malden. Medford came into the game at 1-9 overall and looking to break a long, seven-game Thanksgiving Day win streak for Malden, and they got the job done. Medford QB Adrien Pineda led the way offensively: 5-of12 passing for 244 yards and three TDs, two to Myles Olivier. Pineda also scored a TD himself on an 11-yard run in the fourth quarter and threw a TD pass to Jose Lopes. For Malden, junior Danley Exilhomme scored both of Malden’s touchdowns, but Medford looked in command with an 18-12 halftime lead. It was all Medford in the second half, led by Pineda and the twoman wrecking crew defensive duo of Matt Sullivan and Anthony DiRienzo, who were dubbed “The Smash Brothers” in reports on the game. Each also had a key interception in the second half. Sullivan and DiRienzo each had double-digit tackles, making life miserable for the Malden offense. 2015: They showed up at Hormel Stadium for Game #128 at Hormel Stadium… and a Madden Game broke out. Malden scored early, often and then some in a raucous, record-setting victory that honked and hollered all the way in a 59-36 Tornadoes victory, the highest scoring game, two teams combined –ever – in series history. It was also the most points Malden had ever scored on Thanksgiving Day and the most since a 50-6 win in 1960. Medford scored 36 points for the second straight year and the most points in the 128-game history for the series by a team that did not win the game. Malden also set a record in this game as the Tornadoes defense scored a whopping (and record) five times on the morning. Malden led, 28-0, after the first quarter, and 45-8 at halftime, but Medford did not quit, led by Cory Moore, who finished with three TDs and 155 yards rushing. Medford owned the second half, outscoring the visitors, 28-14, but led by the Exilhomme Brothers, DJ and Danley, Malden held Medford at bay long enough at the end. Danley Exilhomme returned two interceptions for TDs and ran for two more; DJ scored three TDs, seven TDs between them. Malden clinched its first GBL title since 1989 with the win. Eighth-year Head Coach Joe Pappagallo added to the momentous day by announcing his resignation at halftime. 2016: Despite scoring early and playing a solid first quarter, Medford ultimately fell to Malden, 41-18. The score was closer than it seemed, as Medford scored before Malden was able to take the lead with a late score and PAT, ahead 7-6 at the end of the first quarter on a 38-yard TD run by junior QB Jared Martino. Malden pushed the envelope all first half, trying to convert fourth-down situations on three occasions, only to be stuffed by the Medford defense. Martino threw two TD passes in the second quarter to extend Malden’s lead to 21-6 at the half, capitalizing on a failed fake punt attempt by Medford. Martino’s second TD run of the game, a 49-yard burst, gave Malden lots of breathing room, up 28-6. He added a third TD run late in the third quarter, and senior captain Josh Simon capped the scoring late in the fourth quarter for an 18-yard TD to ice. Martino finished with 160 yards rushing and over 100 yards passing to lead the Tornadoes. Senior captain Matt Geer led the Malden defense at linebacker. It was first-year Head Coach Bill Manchester’s first holiday win in his Thanksgiving debut. 2017: Medford and Malden, both entering the game with winless seasons, slugged it out in an exciting back-and-forth game that marked the 130th time they had met on Thanksgiving. Medford capitalized on Malden errors, scoring a touchdown on a fumble recovery and scoring after successfully foiling Malden’s attempt at a twopoint conversion. Malden ultimately won the match, 2722, and the win was the Golden Tornadoes’ only one of the season, as second-year Head Coach Bill Manchester’s team finished 1-10 overall. Junior Wesley Pierre stole the show with over 15 rushing yards and two TDs. Freshman QB Justin Nortelus also scored a TD, the first ninth-grader to score for Malden on Thanksgiving ever, it is believed. It was Coach Manchester’s final game; he resigned his post three weeks later after two years at the helm and two Thanksgiving wins. 2018: The temperature was the big story before this game even started, when a record cold wave gripped the region, sending the thermometer to a bone-chilling 15 degrees, with a gusty wind making the wind chill factor around 0 degrees. Medford was the favored team, coming in with a 3-7 record, and Malden was winless, but the Golden Tornadoes capitalized on five Medford turnovers, including a lost fumble with under a minute to play on Malden’s 21-yard line and the Tornadoes clinging to a 26-24 lead. Freshman linebacker Justin Desimone recovered his second fumble of the game after Malden senior Sean Stout tackled backup Medford QB Joel Disla and the ball came free – recovered by Malden. Medford starting QB Keith Barrasso had left the game two plays earlier after an injury. Barrasso had been the game’s best player before that, with a record 230 yards rushing on 24 carries and three touchdowns. Malden got touchdowns from junior Jerry Mervil (2), sophomore Matthew Bessey and sophomore QB Justin Nortelus. At the conclusion of the game, Medford’s 10-year Head Coach, Jason Nascimento, announced he was retiring from the post. First-year Malden Head GAME | SEE PAGE 22

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