Brahmas chosen as all-stars

Martinez, Word to play bowl game in Arizona

For the fourth year in a row, Triumphant Sports will be holding its annual Junior College (JUCO) All American Bowl game in Glendale, AZ. This year, six Pierce College football players were invited to play on Team Cali with 36 other junior college athletes from California. Team Cali will play against Team USA, which also consists of 42 junior college players from all states besides California.

Those asked to play from Pierce were wide receiver Bryson Martinez, cornerback Jay’Onn Myles, cornerback Andrew McCrea, tight end Trey Dunkelberger, kicker Jamie Sutcliffe, and long snapper Blake Word.

Out of the six players invited, only two have decided to play. Martinez and Word will travel with Team Cali via charter bus on Dec. 9 out to Glendale and will participate in team practices, volunteer event at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, college tour of Arizona State University, and team meals.

Martinez is a 20-year-old biological science major from Farmington, N.M. Martinez decided to come play for the Brahmas after he hadn’t received any offers out of high school. He decided to go the junior college route and since California has over half of the JC’s in America, he chose Pierce after the team showed him the most interest.

“I looked at how many people they sent out to DI and was like, “oh god,” it’s almost 24 a semester,” Martinez said. “I think we’re the only team in the country that can go 3-7 and still get 20 guys DI offers by the end of the year.”

Martinez has been playing since fourth grade and played for Pierce for two years. He didn’t start playing wide receiver until his freshman year of high school and previously played quarterback, running back, linebacker, and corner. Martinez said being selected to play in this game was probably his biggest accomplishment athletically.

“I’ve always kind of been the underdog from a little town,” Martinez said. “So to come on this stage where you have endless DI players who had bad grades or for whatever reason they’re here, to be nominated as one of the top 42 in the state of California is just a blessing. It speaks volumes to the staff around me and the hard work I’ve put in.”

Pierce has helped Martinez a lot as a player. He said the level of competition made him have to get better and he feels playing for the team for two seasons has gotten him Division I ready.

“Bryson was very focused on what he