- Arlington Football
- Posts
- Arlington Football
Game Recap
The Ponders faced a tough challenge on Thursday night, narrowly falling to Reading in a hard fought 21-35 loss. They started the game strong, with Alexi Trapotsis scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter while Ryan Scull broke through for over 100 rushing yards. Scull scored a touchdown late in the second sending the Ponders into halftime with a 21-20 lead. Unfortunately, they couldn't maintain the momentum in the second half, allowing Reading to score 15 unanswered points to take the game.
Despite the loss, the Ponders demonstrated grit and resilience, proving they can compete with tougher teams. Ryan Scull led the ground game with 100+ rushing yards and a touchdown. On the defensive side, Manu Mahenthiran made an impact with multiple pass breakups and key stops while Alexi Trapotsis ignited the offense early with two touchdowns. Though they ultimately fell short, the Ponders put up a solid fight with second half mistakes tilting the games in Reading's favor.
Looking ahead to the next game
Today at 6:30, the Ponders face another league opponent, Belmont, who comes into the game with a 1-4 record after narrowly defeating Lexington last week, 9-6. In their matchup last season, Arlington came out on top with a 34-21 victory. This will mark Arlington’s third league game of the season; they’re aiming to improve their record to 2-1.
To prepare for the Belmont game, the Ponders are working to make each practice as game like as possible. They’re also focusing on building depth across the lineup to ensure they’re ready for any challenge Belmont or any other team might bring.
Come out to support the Ponders in their first away game of the season at Belmont High School’s Harris Field today at 6:30 p.m.!
Player Q&A
This week, I interviewed Senior Captain Gavin Carreiro who plays center. Gavin joined the team two weeks late freshman year and has been playing ever since. His favorite part about playing football is getting to practice with his teammates every day and playing under Friday night lights with them. Like many of his teammates, his favorite team tradition is singing the Arlington fight song after a win.
Gavin’s most memorable moment on the field came last season, when he helped the team pull off a comeback win against Belmont after being sidelined for five weeks due to a knee injury. One of Gavin’s strengths is his football IQ, which allows him to help other offensive linemen with their responsibilities on the field. To improve his game, Gavin is working hard at every practice and repeating drills until they’re perfect. Over the summer, Gavin prepared for the season by pushing himself at team lifts and encouraging his teammates to put in the same effort.
Gavin has been captain since his junior year, a role that has taught him valuable leadership skills that extend beyond the football field. He believes that strong communication and relationships off the field lead to better teamwork on the field. This season, Gavin’s primary goal is to help lead his team to a league title.
Elyse Wagner ‘25
Arlington Football Communications Intern