Hesperia's Reyes lands full scholarship

Dominic Reyes has just put himself into the Hesperia High School record book.

The lanky senior is the first football player to land a full scholarship to a Division I school. He signed with State University of New York at Stony Brook Friday, after weighing other offers.

"It's a really good school," he said. "It's ranked in the top 2 percent in the world."

And that's important for Reyes, who in addition to being a star free safety, also maintains a 4.0 grade point average. He doesn't yet know what he will major in at Stony Brook.

Switching from his Scorpion uniform to that of a Seawolf means a move of more than 2,500 miles for the lifelong resident of the High Desert.

"Yeah, it's going to be real tough," he said. "But I have to decide what's best for me in my whole life, and this is what's best for me."

The move will be harder on his parents.

"It's very difficult," said mother Monique, who has never missed one of her son's sporting events. "It's extremely difficult for me. ... He has to do what's best for him."

"He was blessed with the smarts and the opportunity," father Jose said.

Getting a full ride to a school that normally costs $38,000 a year to attend has been a boon for the family -- without a scholarship, Reyes would like have attended the two-year Chaffey College.

"It's like lifting a great weight off your shoulders," Jose said. "It's almost like winning the Lotto."

"The coaches called me and asked me what kind of kid he is," Scorpions football coach Robert Kistner said. "I said 'when you meet him, you're going to fall in love with him.'

"Both athletically and academically, he'll succeed."

As for Reyes, he said he's not feeling any particular pressure.

"I'm super-excited about it," he said. "I love to be pushed to the limit. ... I know if I push myself hard enough, I can do anything."

Reyes' final football game in the High Desert will be the High Desert All-Star Football Game, Saturday, April 26 at 7 p.m. at Newton T. Bass Stadium in Apple Valley.

Beau Yarbrough can be reached at 956-7108 or at beau@hesperiastar.com.