By Clay Whittington
Belton Journal
John Roach had a lot to prove, and he did.
The son of a former Tigers standout grew up with an understanding of exactly what it meant to be a part of Belton’s tradition, and he embraced it.
Somewhat undersized for his tackle position along the offensive line, Roach overcame the odds and emerged from the football program as one its most impactful players.
Now, his contributions will never be forgotten as Roach prepares to be inducted into the Belton High School Wall of Honor next weekend, entrenching himself among numerous other elite Belton athletes.
It is a fitting accomplishment after spending so much effort thriving in the gridiron’s trenches.
The Class of 2024 graduate broke into the starting lineup as a sophomore, and he refused to relinquish the position.
As the offensive line’s anchor, Roach helped the Tigers average 302.4 yards per game and helped pave the way for 11 rushing touchdowns en route to returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
One year later, Belton was no longer fighting for postseason berths. Instead, the Tigers were contending for championships.
During his final two seasons, Belton collected back-to-back district titles for the first time since repeating in 1974 and 1975.
The Tigers went 8-3 in his junior season and 10-2 when he was a senior, averaging 373.9 and 347.7 total yards per game, respectively. Each season concluded with Roach being named all-district offensive lineman of the year.
Additionally, he landed on the Texas Sports Writers Association Class 5A All-State Second Team as a senior.
Roach will be inducted into the Wall of Honor on May 17 during a ceremony inside the Belton High School gymnasium foyer. The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m.
One hour prior to the event, a meet-and-greet will take place, allowing the public to interact with the newest inductees ahead of their enshrinement.
Other football players placed on the Wall of Honor in recent years include Logan Hall (2023), Denver Holman (2020), Garrison Vaughn (2019) and Khiry Robinson (2018).
Along with Roach, Lady Tigers soccer standout Mallory Bankhead and Belton basketball alumni T.J. Johnson and Trap Johnson will be honored.
The Wall of Honor was created in 2001 as a way to immortalize former athletes and teams responsible for leaving an undeniable mark on the athletic program.
Originally, 71 alumni with ties as far back as to the school’s opening in 1909 were inducted, and over the years, the list has continued to grow.
