Century's Peter Arroyo III Draws College Interest After Knee Injuries
The short version
- Arroyo, a 4.5-star-rated kicker and punter, is averaging 52.5 yards per punt through three games
- He returned from two knee injuries, including an MPFL tear and an avulsion fracture
- He holds offers from Grinnell, St. Olaf, Gustavus Adolphus, UW-Eau Claire and Northern Michigan
- Century (1-2) plays crosstown rival John Marshall (0-3) Friday at 5:30 p.m. at JM High School
The Panthers senior kicker and punter has posted strong early-season numbers while fielding offers from five college programs.
Peter Arroyo III spent the winter and summer training four times a week inside the Rochester Regional Stadium Dome, preparing for his senior season as the kicker and punter for the Century High School football team. That work followed two serious knee injuries earlier in his career, and the senior is now producing at a level that has drawn national attention from college programs.
Kohl's Kicking has rated Arroyo a 4.5-star punter and kicker. Through Century's first three games, he averaged 52.5 yards per punt with a 38.5-yard net average on nine punts, went 1-for-1 on field goals with a 36-yard make, and converted 4-of-4 extra points with one touchback. His longest punt of the season traveled 85 yards against Chaska on Sept. 11. As a junior, he averaged 31 yards per punt and made 11 PATs.
Arroyo's path included significant adversity. In middle school he dislocated his kneecap and tore the MPFL ligament in his right leg, though surgery to repair it did not come until the end of his freshman year. Near the close of his sophomore year, he suffered a knee avulsion fracture in his left knee, tearing the tendon off the shin, and wore a long leg cast during recovery. He said his junior year was spent rebuilding strength and technique before his focused dome workouts heading into his final season.
Century enters its Friday crosstown matchup with a 1-2 record. The Panthers visit John Marshall, which is 0-3, at 5:30 p.m. at JM High School. The game is another chance for Arroyo to pursue his goal of earning All-Section honors as both a kicker and punter. Head coach Jon Vik, who has led the program since 2002, said Arroyo has grown in consistency and technique and now understands the strategy involved in the kicking game beyond just leg strength.
College interest began with an offer from Grinnell College in February and has expanded since. Arroyo holds offers from Division III programs St. Olaf College, Gustavus Adolphus College and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, plus Division II Northern Michigan University. He has also drawn interest from a long list of schools including TCU, Minnesota, North Dakota State, Yale, Princeton, Iowa State, Minnesota Duluth, Winona State, Minnesota State Mankato, Augustana, Northern Iowa, UNLV, Augsburg and Wisconsin-River Falls. Yale and Princeton are among his top considerations, with academics, affordability and football program strength as his priorities.
Arroyo's development has come largely through solo work after his training partner, Brody, tore his ACL and underwent surgery. The two had filmed each other and analyzed technique before the injury. After the season, Arroyo plans to attend another national camp in an effort to reach the top 50 rankings.
A former quarterback and linebacker in seventh grade who also played soccer and wrestled, Arroyo settled on special teams and now mentors younger Century players, including his brother Ben, the junior varsity kicker. Born in Hawaii, Arroyo hopes to pursue a nursing career in the medical field like his parents. He described this season's Century team as the closest he has played on, saying the players hold each other accountable and support one another through adversity.
Games to watch
