Appreciation moving forward

Michael Sullivan graduates Central thankful for his mentors.

Recently graduated Central Spartan Michael Sullivan has been a part of a special movement for the last 4 years.

He is one of the key figures of collective of graduated student athletes that helped lead a Spartans renaissance on the school's football program.

When Rookie Peña took over the football program 3 years ago, he knew he had a special group of sophomores that included the likes of Jonathan Medina, Deniro Osuna, Angel Nava-Esparza and Michael Sullivan.

Sullivan would be part of a movement that saw the Spartans win 3 consecutive Bell Games for the 1st time since the 1980's, claim 2 straight Imperial Valley League titles, and consistently make deep pushes into the CIF-San Diego Section playoffs; that would include a championship game appearance against Morse in 2018.

Through all that time, Sullivan has developed into a dangerous weapon at the wide receiver position; enough to earn him a football scholarship to Western Colorado University, where he'll get the chance to cultivate his skills at that all too familiar position.

He gives his head football coach much of the credit to his own personal success.

"He's made me into a better person definitely. He's pushed me. I'm always the quiet kid, but he's pushed me to become that athlete that I've become now. He's a great coach, leader and mentor. I couldn't ask for a better high school coach."

Besides Peña, Sullivan has also looked up to track and field head coach Ron Shane who proved to be another mentor to him during the Spring sports seasons.

Shane has retired during the Coronavirus shortened Spring season.

Besides playing football on an athletic scholarship at Western Colorado this Fall, Sullivan plans on majoring in Petroleum Geology on the academic side of things.