Thursday, October 1, 2026
For Joe Roche, returning to the Clarke football sideline as the Rams’ head coach is more than a promotion. It is a homecoming.
Roche, a 2015 Clarke graduate and former wide receiver and defensive back on the varsity team, has spent the past four years coaching in the program on both the junior varsity and varsity levels. He now has a chance to shape the next generation of Rams.
“The opportunity came up, and it felt like it was the right time in my coaching career to take a next step,” Roche said. “And having played for the coaches at Clarke and going through that program, and being back on staff as a coach, it just felt right.”
Roche takes over a team that went 6-3 last season before losing in the playoffs to eventual county Conference III champion Wantagh.
The Rams graduated a large senior class, leaving Roche with a roster that features plenty of players stepping into expanded varsity roles.
Clarke does return 15 seniors, including several who saw limited playing time behind last year’s veteran group. Roche believes that experience can help ease the transition.
“Getting to coach these kids as freshmen and sophomores on the JV and then taking this step up this year and now to have these guys as juniors and seniors, it’s a nice moment to kind of step back and see where they started and how far they’ve come,” he said.
At quarterback, Clarke has a competition between senior Will Grassini and junior Nicco Carino. Roche said both have shown strengths during camp and the battle is expected to continue through scrimmages before a final decision is made on the Week 1 starter.
Senior Jake Thakkar is expected to be one of the Rams’ primary leaders and should carry a significant workload at running back and inside linebacker. Roche praised his football instincts and IQ.
“He brings a true, experienced feel for the game with the way he plays and sees the game much slower than most guys,” Roche said. “This game plays a little fast at the varsity level, but he’s very good at keeping the game under control in his mind and makes the right decisions and makes the right plays.”
Junior Everett Barsauskas and senior Luke Walker could provide relief in the backfield. Barsauskas brings speed, while Walker offers a more physical, downhill running style.
Clarke also has playmakers in the passing game. Senior Yaya Segura, a tight end who can line up across the formation, gives Roche a versatile target, while senior Victor Rosario brings speed and strong route-running ability at receiver.
The offensive line will feature senior returners Joey Wehrman and Anthony Vechianno. Wehrman got plenty of reps at center last year, but Roche is hoping to slot him to guard to get him more open space to block. Vechianno can play either guard or tackle.
Junior Aiden Piper, who saw varsity action last season, is another key piece and is expected to contribute on both the offensive and defensive lines.
Defensively, several positions remain unsettled. Mike Cardozo is expected to help anchor the secondary, while Carino and Grassini are also competing for spots in the defensive backfield. Barsauskas is slated to play strong safety.
The other linebacker spots remain a work in progress outside of Thakkar
Senior Bryan Araujo gives Clarke another weapon. A three-year varsity player, Araujo will handle kicking, punting and kickoffs, giving the Rams a special-teams option they have not traditionally used as extensively.
The Rams will need every advantage during a brutal opening stretch. Clarke begins the season at Bethpage, which lost to Wantagh in that county title game, before facing South Side, Malverne and Plainedge, a Nassau IV finalist in 2025.
For Clarke, the immediate goal is not simply replacing last year’s graduates. It is building confidence and experience quickly enough to compete for another playoff berth this season in a challenging conference.
“Getting back to the playoffs in one of the toughest conferences in Nassau County would be a major step for a group that is really getting full-time play for the first time this year,” Roche said.
To read more from the Herald's 2026 High School Football Preview, click here.
