Arcadia’s Apaches Off to a Strong Start

Arcadia’s Bradley Mills (33) looks for a clear route through Monrovia’s defense during their game on September 11, 2015 in Arcadia. Both teams slugged it out into the final minutes, where the Wildcats maintained their lead to walk away with a 60-45 win over the Apaches. Photo credit: Trevor Stamp

By Joshua Ma, AHS Correspondent

With the football season underway, Varsity Football is working to achieve one goal: to win CIF. Our Apaches have high expectations for the season and look to rebound from last year. The team hopes the addition of transferred players and new coaches will help it do its best during the season.

“During the summer, we trained for the season mostly by weightlifting and conditioning to improve our strength and stamina. Some days, we would even be told to practice two times a day depending on how well we worked together during practice. Our expectation for the season is to win CIF,” said sophomore Alex Kelliher.

To accomplish these aspirations, our Apaches have been putting in work every chance they get. During the offseason, the team recalled many hard practices that helped improve every individual’s skills. To stay on this team, one must have mental toughness and determination. Some of the drills done by the team during the offseason were pushing sleds, consecutive sprinting, and team scrimmages. Coaches set up many in­game situations for the team, so it could be prepared for the real deal.

Often, the players would put numerous hours in the weight room to build up their strength for the season. During August, many of the players would use their own free time to improve their individual game. When one sees the various tackles and catches our boys make during the season, one will understand how they did it—with the hard work and dedication during the summer.

The team’s chemistry is exceptional, as the boys have no disagreements or scuffles between each other. The players often hang out with each other on and off the field which helps build teamwork and communication in games.

Already, the team has showcased its improvements by playing two high scoring duals against Bell Gardens High School and Monrovia High School. Varsity Football put up a total of 82 points in those two games, displaying its enormous potential.

Furthermore, on Sept. 18, our Apache Football team gave an excellent showcase of its skill on the field with a 21­20 victory over Maranatha High School.

Let’s do our part and show support for the players by cheering them on. Best of luck to the Varsity Football team!

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