The Arlington High School football team didn't want to fall behind early Sept. 2 during a 40-0 loss at West Point-Beemer.
Coach Colter Mattson's Eagles (0-2 overall) received the opening kickoff, moved it deep into Cadets territory and, ultimately, came up short on a 4th-and-1 play in the red zone.
“Maybe there was something we could have done different down here on the first drive,” the coach said afterward.
West Point took over at its own 10-yard-line and scored just plays later on a 55-yard Juan Lemus Garcia run.
“There was kind of a couple of big plays there that got them going,” Mattson said.
The Cadets led 14-0 after one quarter and halftime, 34-0 after three quarters and by 40 as the final seconds ran off the clock. They gained 495 offensive yards, including 462 on the ground, and held AHS to just 132 total.
“We were a little out of sync,” Mattson said.
After graduation losses last May, a number of Eagles are still coming into their own on the varsity field through the first two games of the fall campaign.
“There's going to be some things that they're going to learn from every week,” Mattson said.
On the field, upperclassmen Braden Monke, Kaden Pittman and Weston Wollberg are among those doing what they can to get their less experienced teammates up to speed.
Against West Point, Wollberg's effort on defense stood out. The tall, lean lineman totaled six solo tackles, one assisted and a sack.
“Weston is a kid we lean on a lot, offensively and defensively,” Mattson said. “He's a hard worker. He's smart.”
Though the Cadets often succeeded with their run game, No. 62 in an AHS jersey made his own fair share of plays in the backfield.
“(Weston's) got a motor and he wants to go, and sometimes we've got to pull the reigns a little bit,” Mattson said. “But he's always going to give a 110 percent.”
Wollberg's efforts helped the Eagles win the Sept. 2 turnover battle — even in defeat. Pittman, Killian McIntosh, Cooper Staats and he all picked up West Point fumbles.
Offensively, Pittman led the way with 10 rushing attempts for 41 yards. Junior quarterback Kaden Foust, meanwhile, threw for 54 Eagle passing yards.
Arlington next plays tonight at Class C No. 2 Pierce.
