Generals tame the Wildcats, 28-0

The Shafter High Generals football team didn't play their best game on Friday night, but they played well enough to take a 28-0 win over the Taft Wildcats on Homecoming night for the locals.

Mariyon Sloan, at quarterback, accounted for three of the Generals' four scores on the night.

The first score for Shafter was a 34-yard run by Sloan, giving the Generals a 7-0 lead. The Generals' defense kept the Wildcats' offense out of the red zone for the majority of the game.

Sloan ended the game with 206 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Sloan was joined by teammate Christopher Espinoza, who gained over 100 yards rushing on the night, on only 11 carries.

For the third game this season, the Generals generated over 300 yards on the ground. Shafter's defense, in addition to stopping the Wildcats for most of the game, also gave the Shafter offense the ball in good field position when Aaron Jimenez picked off a Taft pass and ran it the other way for a good gain, leading to one of the Generals' touchdowns.

At halftime, the Shafter High Homecoming Queen and King were crowned. Alexia Ramirez, daughter of Eduardo Ramirez and Marlene Martinez, was named the Queen. Ramirez is involved in ASB, girls basketball, student advocacy, College Bound, FFA and HQTV. She plans to leave for college and play basketball, major in psychology and minor in kinesiology, and become a sports psychologist.

Alan Fierzo Gomez, the son of Edgar Fierro and Perla Gomez, was named Shafter High's Homecoming King. Alan is in ASB, cross country, color guard, link crew, Listos, Every 15 Minutes and College Bound. He plans to pursue a position in leadership or go explore the wonders of the world.

The juniors were the big winners in the skit competition. They gave the crowd a peek into the 1980s, complete with '80s music, hair styles and clothes.

The second half of the game featured two more scores for the Generals, who could not be stopped on offense or defense.

Shafter will have to step up their game a notch this Friday night when they travel to Delano to play the Tigers. Delano has a 4-2 record, coming off a loss to Kennedy High School. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.