Delano takes a beating from SHS, 41-13

The Shafter High Generals football team improved to 2-0 in SSL play with a rout of Delano High 41-13 on Friday night in Delano. The Generals started a little slowly, with one touchdown in the first quarter, with quarterback Maryion Sloan getting a 42-yard touchdown run to make the score 7-0.

Shafter extended the lead in the second quarter, getting another touchdown run from Sloan to go up 14-0. The Generals' defense, which put up a shutout last week against Taft, allowed the Tigers to score just once in the first half, and once in the second half, after the game was already out of reach.

Shafter took a 21-7 lead into the locker room at the half. In the third quarter, the Generals scored another 20 points, giving them their second SSL victory. This week also saw the emergence of Cash Gutierrez, who was key in Shafter's successful season last year, chewing up yardage, complementing the passing game, along with Christopher Espinoza. On Friday night, Gutierrez got two touchdowns, with a 12-yard run and a six-yard touchdown run, to go along with a couple of big runs for first downs.

Another receiver that is picking up some yardage was Dylen Hatton, who had a key reception for a first down on one of the Generals' scoring drives. This is the second straight week that Hatton has had a key reception.

Sloan didn't need to pass in the game that much in the game, with the Generals piling up over 300 yards rushing on the night, including Sloan's 205 yards on the ground, with three touchdowns.

A game that will go a long way in determining the SSL championship will take place this Thursday night, when the Generals face off against the Kennedy Thunderbirds. Kennedy is coming off a 35-14 win at Wasco, making Friday's game a pivotal one. The winner of that game will be in the driver's seat in the South Sequoia League race. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.