Arlington Football

Week 6

October 10, 2024

Looking ahead to the next game

Coming off their bye week, the Ponders are set to face a tough challenge against Reading today at 7 P.M. Reading has a 4-0 record, coming off a big 28-6 victory over Woburn. Last season, Reading came out on top when these two teams met winning 35-20. This time, however, the Ponders are ready to make a statement in this year’s rematch.

This game marks Arlington’s second league matchup of the season, with high stakes as they aim to build on their recent win over Lexington hoping to position themselves as contenders for the league title. During the bye week, the Ponders have been focused and determined, using the extra time to practice hard and get a head start on preparing for the Reading game. With momentum from the big Lexington win, Arlington hopes to secure another league win and improve to 4-1 on the season.

Come join us today at 7 p.m at Pierce Field to cheer on the Ponders and watch an exciting night of football.

Player Q&A

This week, I interviewed Junior Captain Brady Bekkenhuis (OL/DL). Brady has been playing football since eighth grade, though he didn’t start as a lineman until freshman year. Growing up watching his brother and cousin play football inspired Brady to start playing himself. His favorite part about football is playing alongside the friends he’s grown up with and making the most of these moments while they last. Brady’s most memorable moment came in last year’s Thanksgiving Game, where the team defeated Waltham in front of AHS alumni. The victory, was bittersweet marking the final game for the seniors. Brady’s favorite team tradition is singing the fight song after a win. 

This season, Brady is focused on improving his football IQ by watching college film, he’s also working on his speed and flexibility. One of his greatest strengths is the physicality he brings to every game. To prepare, for the season Brady began lifting with the team as soon as his wrestling season ended, and all his hard work is paying off on the field. Beyond football, Brady is also on the wrestling team during the winter season.

Interestingly, Brady played quarterback in eighth  grade, but when he joined summer workouts freshman year the coaching staff switched him to tackle, envisioning his potential to play offensive line in college. Their instincts proved right as Brady is now committed to play D1 football for Boston College after high school. 

Coach Q&A

This week I also got to interview Coach Peter Roche, the wide receiver, special teams and JV head coach. Coach Roche grew up watching his brothers play football at AHS, inspiring him to start his own football career. His favorite memory playing football at AHS was his first varsity start against Reading- a game they won, where he even managed to snag an interception. 

Playing football wasn’t all easy for Coach Roche, though. He faced multiple setbacks and injuries, including a life-changing diagnosis of type 1 diabetes during his sophomore season. This was a challenging time for him, but football provided the support he needed to manage through it. A key motivation for him in coaching is not just to teach the fundamentals of football but also to support players who might be going through their own adversities just like he did. 

Coach Roche emphasized the significance of this week’s game in the team’s pursuit of a league title- something the Ponders haven’t been able to pull off since 2013 when his older brother, Frank Roche, played for the Ponders. Winning the league title has been the team’s goal since last year's Thanksgiving Game. He also mentioned that this matchup will be a critical test for the team, pushing them to compete against a well-disciplined opponent in Reading.

Coach Roche’s proudest moment coaching is the chance to coach alongside his brother, Frank, who is the head coach. He always looked up to him growing up and being able to share the field with him is very special. 

Elyse Wagner ‘25
Arlington Football Communications Intern