MALDEN — The past season has been a step in the right direction for the Medford High football team.

The Mustangs’ 137th annual meeting with Malden kept things going in the right direction.

Medford earned its second consecutive victory over the Golden Tornadoes with a 34-14 win on Thursday at Macdonald Stadium.

The Mustangs completed their second straight winning season at 6-5 and clinched the Greater Boston League title at 5-2, its first title since 1985, according to coach John Curley.

“This program has been building for the last six years since I’ve been here,” Curley said. “It’s all about the kids. You can draw up all the x’s and o’s you want, but at the end of the day it’s the kids who have to go out and play the game.”

Malden’s Jayden McGuffie runs with the ball during the game against Medford at Macdonald Stadium. Medford claimed a 34-14 win. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

Leading 14-8 at the half, Medford added two touchdowns in the third quarter to pull away from the Golden Tornadoes and one more in the fourth on a seven-yard run by Exavier Prince.

Shortly after the second half began, Medford defensive lineman Nathan Brou recovered a fumble, setting up quarterback Justin Marino’s third touchdown on a nine-yard run.

“The halftime adjustments were big,” Marino said. “They get us fired up at the half. They put together a game plan and it worked.”

Marino (28 carries, 208 yards) scored his fourth touchdown on a 15-yard run with 3:47 left in the third quarter.

“Justin Marino is a special player,” Curley said. “He’s one of a kind. He’s very level-headed and that makes all the difference.”

Medford got on the board on the game’s opening series, driving 83 yards on 14 plays. Marino finished the drive with a two-yard run up the middle with 4:04 left in the first quarter. The conversion rush failed.

Malden (2-8) briefly took the lead when Jayden McGuffie scored on a three-yard run with 4:22 left before halftime and Aiden Brett rushed for the conversion to make it 8-6.

It took the Mustangs just to plays after the ensuing kickoff to regain the lead. Marino broke loose for a 42-yard gain to the one-yard line and finished the drive with a keeper into the end zone with 3:45 left in the half. He added the conversion, increasing Medford’s lead to 14-8.

McGuffie added a touchdown for Malden with 33 seconds left in the game, scoring on a seven-yard run.