Shafter's Sloan takes on national stage

Mariyon Sloan, a junior at Shafter High School who has played football since he was 4 years old, participated in the U.S. Army Bowl National Combine in Frisco, Texas, from Dec. 19 to 21. "It was a great experience meeting the top 160 high school juniors from across the nation, showcasing my talent and competing against everyone else," he said.

At the combine, football players were tested on their 40-yard dash, pro shuttle, broad jump and L-drill, and competed one-on-one. Offensive and defensive players selected their positions, with Sloan choosing running back. Each position had one or more coaches who recorded players' performances on measurable skills, including timing, catching, footwork, handoffs and blocking. These recordings are compiled into drill tapes for colleges to evaluate as part of the recruiting process.

SHS Head Football Coach Jerald Pierucci, who recently completed his ninth season of coaching, attended the combine to support Sloan. "Coaches were responsible for providing write-ups about what he is good at and needs to work on. I could give this feedback as his coach, but I'm a little biased," Pierucci explained. "This was a unique opportunity for him to be observed and rated by someone who hasn't seen him in the paper or on social media but views him purely as a number. On the field, players are identified only by their numbers."

Coach Pierucci was pleased with Sloan's performance. "He represented the city of Shafter and our program really well. It is my first player ever to get nominated for one of these, and it was a great chance to network with college coaches and other high school coaches, too."

Sloan was named the 2024 and 2023 Player of the Year in the South Sequoia League and was the 2024 Kern County Athlete of the Year. He holds a 4.14 GPA, is part of the track and field team, and wrestled in his freshman and sophomore years. After high school, he hopes "to continue playing football at the next level at a Division I college."

He expressed his gratitude to the Shafter Kiwanis Club for their generous $500 contribution. Before leaving for the combine, he attended one of their meetings, where he was presented with a check for his trip. "They are so kind and love to know what we are doing at the high school. They are a great organization and do so much for Shafter," he said.

Sloan added, "Thank you to the Kiwanis Club and the Rotary Club for their $500 donation, all the teachers from Shafter High School, and the community for supporting and believing in me to help make this dream possible."