Generals looking to finish at the top

The Shafter High Generals football team is on a mission. This mission was prematurely aborted last year with a controversial loss in the semifinals of the Valley Championship. Coach Jerald Pierucci and his team are now looking to finish the job that they started almost three years ago.

With a host of players returning from last year's team, Shafter is highly ranked, including by MaxPreps.com. There, they are ranked #14 in the Central Section, including Division I teams such as Frontier and Clovis North, which sits on top of the rankings.

The Generals will be led by junior quarterback Ezekiel Osborn and a line that has experience, as well as numerous linemen coming up from the junior varsity team.

"This year's team has the potential to be a really good team," Pierucci said this week.

On offense, Shafter also has Mariyon Sloan, Chris Espinoza, J.J. Vasquez, Ethan Dunlap, Matt Cordova, Nick Rosette and Daniel Rodriguez.

"We also have some newcomers Alex Reyna, Louis Santana, Tremelle Spain, Dylan Hatten and Jose Espinoza, who should be able to contribute right away.

"The team as a whole is a fun group of boys that enjoy playing with each other. Coaching and being around them is always a fun time.'

With the success of the past couple of years, the team is still reaping benefits. With success comes opportunities, which include a much tougher nonleague schedule. The Generals open the season on Friday, Aug. 23, at Exeter, a school that is always near the top of the rankings. They also play Edison from Fresno, and St. Joseph's, both Division I schools. The schedule also includes Sequoia Division powerhouse Dos Palos.

"This is a schedule that I only do with a veteran team," said Pierucci. "It is not as flashy as last year's, with Bakersfield High School on there, but I believe that we have raised the floor and added some really good opponents. We play both Exeter and Dos Palos, two teams that went to the semifinals and finals last year."