Bellport's Sloan heading to Syracuse

Bellport senior two-way tackle Ryan Sloan, a first-team Newsday All-Long Island football selection as a junior, verbally has accepted a full athletic scholarship to Syracuse University.

The 6-3, 320-pound Sloan is the lead blocker on most of the Clippers' running plays and a force on defense against the run who also can get to the quarterback.

Veteran Bellport coach Joe Cipp last year called Sloan "the best big man I've ever coached." Sloan made his verbal commitment on Thursday night, the Bellport school district announced.

In a recent article, Newsday revealed that Sloan has been blind in his left eye since age 3, but overcame that adversity to make himself one of the best football players in the tri-state area.

He was No. 8 in MSG Varsity's preseason rating of the Top 100 players on Long Island.