Powered by a huge size advantage in the trenches and fast backs on both sides of the ball, the Huskies rolled to a 54-7 win over the ‘Jacks.

It took the Huskies just 42 seconds to score the game’s first touchdown, and by halftime, they owned a 41-0 lead and were well on the way to an opening-day victory. Malone tacked on two more touchdowns after intermission before Tupper Lake avoided being shutout with a late touchdown and conversion kick.

Malone backs rushed for 332 yards and five touchdowns, and their defense also returned two interceptions thrown by Tupper Lake quarterback Noah Cordes for touchdowns.

“That’s an impressive team,” Tupper Lake head coach Dennis Klossner said of the Huskies. “Malone has big boys and a lot of speed. They were getting to us so quick, and on their pulls, even as big as they were, they got on us fast and we had trouble seeing.”

Tupper Lake junior Christian Johnson finds some running room between Huskies’ defenders Tyler Preve (25) and Anthony Lamica. (Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

Tim Langdon led the Huskies. The junior ran for three touchdowns and 101 yards on just five carries, and also recorded one of Malone’s two “pick 6s,’ which both came in the second quarter. Tyler Preve finished with a game-high 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Hunter Swan ran for another touchdown and Dylan Skelton also returned an interception for a score.

Sophmore Skyler Pickering was one of the bright spots for Tupper Lake and its offense of entirely new starters in the backfield. He banged out 62 yards on the ground on 19 carries and scored the ‘Jacks’ lone touchdown on a 4-yard run with just under two minutes left in the game. And despite seeing Cordes throwing two intercpetions on back-to-back pass attempts in the second quarter, Klossner said he was pleased with his junior quarterback’s performance in his first start.

“I was very impressed with Skyler Pickering’s running and I was happy with Noah Cordes,” Klossner said. “Skyler ran hard and Noah did a really good job right from the start. He’s raw. He was very composed and didn’t get flustered, even with the interceptions.”

The Huskies quickly marched 63 yards in three plays for their first touchdown, with Langdon scoring on a 22 yard run. After the Lumberjacks went three-and-out on their first possession, it only took the Huskies two plays to reach the end zone a second time, with Preve scoring to jump on top 12-0. Jordan St. Hilaire hauled in the conversion pass from Swan to give the hosts a 14-0 edge just 3:23 into the game. Swan added a third touchdown on a 48-yard run to lift the Huskies to a 21-0 edge at the end of the opening quarter.

Malone scored three more times in the second period, with Langdon getting it going on a 2-yard touchdown run midway through the quarter. Skelton and Langdon then recorded defensive scores, returning Cordes interceptions 19 and 33 yards to paydirt in a span of a little more than two minutes.

Langdon picked up the only touchdown of the third quarter on a 55-yard run. Preve tacked on a 35-yard touchdown run on the opening play of the fourth period for Malone’s final points and a 54-0 edge.

Tupper Lake mounted a 14-play drive late in the game for its touchdown. A key play in the march was a 4-yard gain on a Cordes quarterback sneak on fourth down that kept the drive alive with a first down at the Huskies’ 18-yard line. Cordes picked up 4 yards on the next snap, and Pickering finished the job, gaining 10 yards on the next play and then scoring on a 4-yard run. Brad McLear added a point on a successful conversion kick to make the game a 54-7 final.

“We have a really good line, and they have some size,” Malone head coach Greg Marshall said. “Our backs are small but they’re quick. We blocked really well and our backs ran hard.”

The Huskies will be at home again Saturday to host Gouverneur. Tupper Lake next plays Friday at home against St. Lawrence Central with the opening kickoff slated for 7 p.m.

Malone 54, Tupper Lake 7

Malone 20 21 7 6 — 54

Tupper Lake 0 0 0 7 — 7

Scoring

First Quarter

M — Langdon 22 run (Run failed), :42.

M — Preve 10 run (St. Hilaire pass from Swan), 3:23.

M — Swan 48 run (Run failed), 11:21.

M — Langdon 2 run (Skelton kick), 6:12.

M — Skelton 19 interception return (Skelton kick), 8:290

M — Langdon 33 interception return (Skelton kick), 10:48.

Third Quarter

M — Langdon 55 run (Skelton kick), 3:38

Fourth Quarter

M — Preve 35 run (Pass failed), :13

TL — Pickering 4 run (McLear kick), 10:22

Individual Statistics

RUSHING

Tupper Lake — Pickering 19-62 TD, McComber 5-19, Amell 6-9, Cordes 4-8, Johnson 1-(-3), Pioli 1-4. Totals: 36-99 TD.

Malone — Langdon 5-101 2TDs, Marlow 4-9, Swan 2-70 TD, Preve 9-107 2TDs, Trombley 4-45. Totals: 24-332 5TDs.

PASSING

Tupper Lake — Cordes 5-9-2-(-8).

Malone — Marlow 1-1-0-7.

RECEIVING

Tupper Lake — Johnson 3-(-9), McComber 1-3, McLear 1-(-2).

Malone — Skelton 1-7.

INTERCEPTIONS

Malone — Skelton, Langdon.