The Malden Catholic Lancers (4-5) came in hoping to go one game above .500 for the season against St. John's Prep on Friday night. But the Eagles  (6-3) were hoping to ascend to the top of the Catholic Conference, which they did with a commanding, 35-7, win.

The first play of the game started with a personal foul. The second play left Malden Catholic Quarterback Anthon Scurto limping off the field and Junior Raeshawn Kennedy coming in. The Lancers weren't able to establish an offense and after a few rounds of pulling taffy the Eagles took the lead off an 82-yard run by senior captain Tyler Coppola to give them a 7-0 lead.

On the second play of the ensuing drive, Kennedy threw a ball that was picked off by Alex Moore and taken back 37 yards for a 14-0 lead after the successful PAT. 

More problems followed as Malden Catholic buried itself deep in its own territory after a holding penalty left them at first and 20. A failed screen pass, an incompletion and a run for no gain left them trying to punt out of their own end zone, but a bad snap left Punter Nathan Mooney scrambling and being taken down at the 5-yard line for St. Johns.

After getting pushed back, Coppola took advantage off the good field position with a 9-yard run for a touchdown run giving St. John's a 21-0 lead with the PAT. Tommy Gaudet would get in on the scoring as he broke a 68-yard touchdown run on the Eagles next position as they went up 28-0 at the half.

To open the second half, the Eagles methodically moved the ball down the field, killing time and getting first downs. It ended with Jimmy O'Connell busting through the goal line to put St. John's up 35-0.

Kennedy opened things up in the fourth quarter, and moved the Lancers up the field through the air for their only score, a touchdown run by running back Matt Heriveaux.

On Malden Catholic's next drive, they drove down field once again, but Kennedy fumbled heading into the end zone to seal the win for the Eagles.

"We knew (Kennedy) could throw the ball, he takes a lot of reps in practice so he was ready to go," said Malden Catholic coach Robert Almeida. "I wish he would have held onto that ball going into the end zone, but he played an excellent game filling in."

The Lancers, who now drop to 0-4 in the league, will host Masconomet next Friday at 7 p.m.