Chris Eaton
Exceptional student-athletes were honored and recognized on Saturday afternoon in Chandler at the National Football Foundation’s 45th-annual Scholar Athlete Awards Banquet, hosted by the Bill Riddle Chapter and Gila River Resorts.
Among the 34 seniors honored from both football and flag football were three players from Shadow Ridge High School in Surprise. Representing the Stallions were safety/linebacker Daniel Lesan, linebacker Nate Pearson, and offensive lineman Rocco Riesland. The winners were selected based on the combined criteria of 40% academics, 40% football accomplishments, and 20% school and community citizenship and participation.
In addition to parents and family members supporting the SRHS players, Stallions’ Head Coach Mike Zdebski was on hand in the Wild Horse Pass Showroom. He was proud to have multiple athletes celebrated.
“I think it says a lot for our program, because there’s not another school in Arizona that can top three,” Zdebski said. “These are three quality kids and that says a lot about the education that’s provided at Shadow Ridge High School.
Lesan is 6-5, 195, and led the team in tackles last season with 85. He was named to the Second Team All-6A Central Region at linebacker. His weighted GPA is a lofty 4.43. Lesan was appreciative of the event.
“It’s a really big accomplishment for me,” Lesan said. “I feel like I’ve worked very hard and its nice to get some sort of shine to it. It’s a really important award.”
Pearson (6-2, 220) is a multi-sport athlete. He was named to the First Team All-Region as the Defensive Utility/Flex Player. In nine games, Pearson had 75 tackles (51 solo) and a pair of sacks. He also played some tight end and had 157 receiving yards with a touchdown. He carries an unweighted GPA of 4.0 (4.6 weighted) and ranks fourth in his class. Aside from football, Pearson plays baseball for the Stallions and is currently batting .373. He is also active in teaching younger players to become better athletes.
“I volunteer coaching and helping out people,” Pearson said. “I love coaching and working with the kids.”
Riesland was the recipient of the Chris Chick Memorial Scholarship. The 5-11, 280-pound lineman had to make an adjustment during his junior year when he suffered a wrist injury that eventually caused him to miss the entire season.
“It was really different at first,” Riesland said of not being able to play. “I was about to quit the team, but the coach had me grab a camera and help film practice. Just because I couldn’t play didn’t mean I couldn’t have an impact on the team.”
Riesland was cleared to play in April of 2025, right before Spring Ball. He manned the line at both center and guard in his senior year. Riesland was named to the First Team All-Dysart District.
“Being away from it, I got a better understanding of football as a whole,” Riesland said. “Being able to see the visual representation of what’s going on with the offensive line made me such a better player.”
Away from football, Riesland is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and volunteers at his church. He has a weighted GPA of 4.03 and scored a 27 on his ACT.
All three players will be attending college within the state of Arizona. Lesan will be at Arizona State University majoring in Architecture. Pearson will be playing baseball at Paradise Valley Community College and studying Business. Riesland will also be in the Valley as a Psychology major at Grand Canyon University.
Shadow Ridge is a high-performing school and earned an A rating from the Arizona Department of Education in 2025. Zdebski credits the school leadership for the path the school is on when it comes to academics.
“It starts with our principal (Cedricia Hester) and her emphasis with the staff making sure that the students are successful,” Zdebski said. “It goes from tutoring to the depth of the courses. The kids understand the importance of academic success and what it does for their future.”
Reach Chris Eaton at gridironarizona@yahoo.com or DM at @gridironarizona with story ideas.
