Malden Catholic Tops Westwood In Home Opener at Flahive

September 26, 2025
 
The Westwood football team dropped its first home game of the season Friday night, falling to perennial power Malden Catholic, 29–13. With the result, the Wolverines move to 1–2 on the season. Despite missing key starters, Westwood showed resilience on both sides of the ball and walked away with several positives to build on.
 
First Half
 
Malden Catholic struck first, capitalizing on early defensive stops to grab a 7–0 lead in the first quarter. Westwood found some offensive rhythm in the run game behind Brendan Cengic and Narawut Kamolratanapiboon, but the Lancers halted drives with timely fourth-down stops. Midway through the second quarter, Malden Catholic extended its lead to 14–0.
 
With halftime approaching, Westwood put together a sensational 70-yard drive, highlighted by key fourth-down conversions. Quarterback Ty Pindel capped it off with a touchdown pass to Keilan McDonald, cutting the deficit to 14–7 at the break.
 
Second Half
 
The Wolverines opened the third quarter strong on defense, keeping the Lancers within reach until Malden Catholic connected on a 73-yard touchdown pass to stretch the lead to 21–7. Westwood responded with a determined drive, fueled by tough runs from Kamolratanapiboon and Cengic. Pindel finished it off with a bootleg touchdown pass to Murphy O’Malley, trimming the margin to 21–13 late in the third.
 
However, the Lancers regained control in the fourth quarter, breaking free for a 20-yard touchdown run and adding a two-point conversion to push the lead to 29–13. From there, Malden Catholic leaned on its ground game and clock management to seal the win.
 
Positives and Standouts
 
While the result didn’t go their way, Westwood showcased several bright spots:
 
Quarterback Play: Ty Pindel battled all game, extending plays to find open receivers and keeping the offense moving despite key players missing from the lineup.
 
Offense: The offensive line gave Pindel time to work, while O’Malley made key plays both as a receiver and blocker. McDonald continued to emerge as one of the TVL’s top receivers, and the running back duo of Kamolratanapiboon and Cengic created balance and kept the Lancer defense honest. Teddy McGowan and Adam Beauregard also stepped up with valuable contributions and gained experience to take into the rest of the season.
 
Defense: The Wolverines’ aggressive adjustments in the second half paid off. McDonald, and Jack Corrigan delivered key sacks, while Mike Zafiropolous, Will Sesselman, and Kamolratanapiboon filled gaps effectively at the line. The defense showed signs of building an identity around downhill pressure and backfield disruption.
 
Looking Ahead

The Wolverines (1–2) will look to regroup and carry the positives forward when they return home to face Medway on Friday, October 3, at 7:00 p.m.