Telegraph file photo by TOM KING Alvirne football coach Tarek Rothe was named as the New Hamphsire Shrine Game football coach.

Alvirne High School football coach Tarek Rothe’s 2020 season just got a scheduled early start.

Rothe, who has coached the Broncos for the last three seasons, has been named as the New Hampshire head coach for the annual NH-Vermont Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl set for Aug. 1 at Castleton (Vt.) University.

Rothe is making a bit of a family sacrifice to coach in the game, as it’s being played the day after his wedding anniversary, and he’ll be at Castleton for the week leading up to the game.

But he got special permission.

“Of course I had to talk it over with my wife, but she understood,” Rothe said in the announcement release. “She told me I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to coach in the game.

“I’m excited. It’ll give me a chance to coach my guys one more time. I was the freshman coach for this group of seniors.”

Rothe has been a popular figure in the Alvirne hallways for several years as a special education teacher, and he was also the boys and girls track coach. He had been back and forth between Alvirne and Campbell High School football staffs for a few years before he was named the Broncos head man back in January of 2017.

In his second season, the Broncos made the Division II finals, their second year in that division, falling to Plymouth. This year Alvirne bested Milford in the quarters before falling to Plymouth again, this time in the semis. There are rumblings, however, that the Broncos may be moved back to Division I, possibley switching places with Timberlane.

Rothe is looking forward to starting August out on the right note.

“I know what the Shrine Game is all about,” Rothe said. “I’m looking forward to representing New Hampshire in the right way, meeting a lot of new kids and hopefully bringing home a win.”