NOMINEES

Brandon Jaime, Antelope senior

Jaime excelled in all three of his sports. In wrestling, he was the Division IV state runner-up at 195 pounds. In baseball, he was named the 2A West Offensive Player of the Year after batting .596 on the season. And in football, he named All-2A Metro East First Team as a defensive lineman.

Tommy Mommer, Cibola senior

Mommer became the first three-time state champion in the illustrious history of the Cibola wrestling program by capturing the AIA Division I heavyweight title in February. He finished his senior season with a 39-1 record overall, and also as an All-American thanks to a fourth-place finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions. Mommer also played on Cibola’s football team in the fall.

FEMALE NOMINEES Valeria Castro, San Luis senior

In the fall, Castro was named All-6A Southern Second Team in volleyball. In the winter, she earned Yuma Sun all-region recognition after leading all YUHSD girls basketball players in rebounds (12.2) and blocks (4.1) per game. She also competed in track and field for the Sidewinders in the spring as a high jumper.

Mia Corners, Gila Ridge junior

Corners turned in her third straight standout showing at the AIA Division II state track and field meet in early May, placing second in two events (long jump, triple jump) and top-six in two others (5th in 100m, 6th in 200m). That wasn’t the only sport in which she excelled; in the winter, she was named Yuma Sun all-region for girls soccer after leading the Hawks in both goals (13) and assists (10).

Chloe Garcia, Kofa senior

Garcia was a two-sport Yuma Sun allregion selection. In volleyball, she led the area in digs (235) as a standout libero. In softball, she put up gaudy offensive numbers (.557 batting average, 1.071 slugging percentage) as the Kings’ star catcher. Garcia also played soccer in the winter.

Mori Gordon, Cibola senior

Gordon was one of the top all-around track and field athletes in the area this spring, qualifying for state in three individual events (100m, 200m, 300h) and one relay (4x1). She was also a starter for Cibola’s volleyball team in the fall and girls basketball team in the winter.

Keiley Sharp, Kofa junior

Sharp was named all-region for volleyball in the fall, and also was a starter for the Kings’ girls basketball team in the winter. But the spring was when she really stood out, as she won an AIA Division I state title in the javelin and also placed third at state in the high jump.

COACH NOMINEES Ralph Evans, Yuma Catholic

In his 9th year as YC’s boys soccer coach, Evans guided the Shamrocks to their fourth straight small-school state title — making them the first winter boys soccer team in state history to ever four-peat. The Shamrocks dominated their opponents to the tune of a plus-92 goal differential in the regular season and a plus-18 in the 3A state tournament.

Kris Norton, Cibola

Norton, Cibola’s longtime head crosscountry and assistant track coach, has spent the past three years helping the aforementioned Thomas Cain develop into one of the very best distance runners in the state. Norton also guided Cibola’s boys and girls cross-country teams to AIA Division I Section III titles in the fall.

Jesus Quintana, Yuma Catholic

Quintana guided the Yuma Catholic girls soccer team to an undefeated regular season (11-0-1) for the third time in his 11-year tenure as coach, and then more notably to the program’s first-ever state championship game. The Shamrocks were seeded No. 11 in the 3A state tournament, but pulled off three straight upsets before narrowly falling to No. 1 Casteel in the title game.

Corey Semler, Gila Ridge

In his third season as Gila Ridge’s boys soccer coach, Semler’s Hawks became the first Yuma Union High School District boys soccer team since 1989 to win a state championship by dominating Cortez, 3-0, in the 4A title game. Gila Ridge also finished with the best inter-YUHSD record with a 4-2-1 mark against Cibola/Kofa/San Luis/Yuma High. Semler also coached Gila Ridge’s football team in the fall for the first time.

Jeff Welsing, Yuma High

In his 13th year as Yuma High’s wrestling coach, Welsing brought the school its first team-sport state championship since 1990, as his Criminals won the Division III state title in epic fashion — topping Walden Grove by half a point thanks to a pin by senior Oscar Vega at the very end of the night. In all, seven of Welsing’s wrestlers placed top-four at state and two won individual titles (Vega, Jonathan Ruiz).