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Tom Invited To Prestigious Football Prospect Combine
Damien Tom
Escalon’s Damien Tom, 54, keeps his eye on the Union Mine quarterback in early 2018 season action, a season in which he was among the defensive leaders for the Cougars. Tom has been chosen to attend the Blue-Gray All American Super Combine in Las Vegas. Times File Photo

Attendance at a mid-May event in Oregon earned incoming Escalon High School senior Damien Tom an invite to an even bigger event. He will head next to Las Vegas, Nevada to participate in an All-American competition.

Varsity head football coach Andrew Beam said Tom and Jacob Walden – both of who will be seniors this fall and are coming off outstanding junior seasons on the gridiron – attended the Blue-Gray Combine in Portland, Oregon last month.

“They both did extremely well,” Beam said of the players’ performances. “Damien was named one of the top two defensive linemen in the entire combine and he was invited to the Blue-Gray All American Super Combine, based on that regional performance.”

The Las Vegas event is scheduled for June 26 and 27 at McCarran Field.

“It’s for the top seniors in the 2020 graduating class,” Beam explained. “I think that will be a really great experience for him and it’s great exposure for him to play at that level.”

The Northwest Regional in Oregon on May 12 saw both Walden and Tom getting in some solid work and honing their skills as they get ready to lead the 2019 varsity Cougars into a new season.

Beam also said Tom’s participation in the Nevada event is noteworthy because it is “by invitation only” and his prior performance netted him the opportunity.

“Damien is a two-way player for us, offensive line and defensive line, he’ll be a third year varsity player and a team captain this season,” Beam said. “He’s the reigning Trans-Valley League lineman of the year.”