Arete Prep Football Teammates Share a Bro-mazing Bond

Arete Prep’s dynamic duo, Prahlad Rattan and Matthew Evans, hit the field as a pair of standout athletes this football season. The two scholars and their families have been close for years, literally, living only a few doors down from each other. But their friendship was tested when Evan’s father took a job in Alabama at the end of his sophomore year, and it looked like the duo would be separated by over 1,400 miles.

Not wanting to leave his school and his football team, Evans and his family made a difficult decision to have him stay in Phoenix and finish school at Arete Prep. Rattan’s family stepped in and invited Evans to live with them. The boys were best friends and teammates to begin with, but when he moved in with the Rattan’s, he became a part of the family and a brother to Rattan.

“I think the fact that [Rattan’s] family…  were so inviting, it made it really easy to transition, and I’m glad I was able to stay at Arete,” said Evans. “I have never been closer to a group of people in my life. I absolutely love them to death.”

Prahlad said it was an adjustment at first, having his friend live in his house, but after a few weeks he said it felt very normal to have him around. “It was like having a third brother in the house.” Evans stayed in the guest room. They shared meals together, played video games, threw the football around in the yard, and experienced shared family life as brothers. The living arrangement lasted throughout the season.

Since then, Evans’ family has returned to Arizona. But the bond that he made with Rattan and his family is something he is grateful for. While Matthew is glad to be back with his family, he says he still visits the Rattan home on a regular basis to catch up. Rattan says he misses having Evans living at the house and says he is ready for him to stay with him for a few more weeks.

This strong bond has carried over to the football field as well. “He’s my number one receiver, love that guy to death,” Rattan said. “He is definitely my go-to-guy that I can trust to catch the ball whenever I need him to. Even when he’s not playing, he comes over and picks my head up when I’m feeling down on myself and gives me some motivational talks. Tells me to keep my head up. It’s amazing. I love it!”

Both boys say they know each other so well that they know each other’s next move on the field without having to communicate it. “From my standpoint as a receiver there are plays where we will call a certain play and I’ll look into the field and realize I’ll be open on this play, and he knows that too,” Evans said. “And I run the route, he throws the ball, and I score.”

With Evans in his senior year, the duo could be separated once again when he goes to college and Rattan stays at Arete Prep to finish his high school career. But both are confident that they will stay in touch. “No matter where he goes, I’m going to be texting and calling him, ‘When are you coming home? When are you coming to visit?’” Rattan said. “I’ll go out to his games when he’s playing college football. There’s absolutely no chance of us getting out of touch.”

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