Ready to compete
Editor’s note: Antelope and San Pasqual will not be included in any season previews as they are not competing in the AIA’s winter athletic season.
Soccer is by far the most competitive sport locally.
In the 2019-20 season, five boys teams (Cibola, Gila Ridge, Kofa, San Luis and Yuma Catholic) and three girls teams (Cibola, Gila Ridge and Yuma Catholic) made the AIA’s state postseason.
Despite their 14-seed placing, the YC boys team were the state runner-ups
in 3A after falling to Veritas Prep in the championship game.
Expectations, as usual, are high around town for the Yuma soccer programs. Here’s a season preview for each team.
Boys
Cibola 6A Desert Southwest
Coach: Bryan Claudio (6th season)
AIA opener: Jan. 22 at Chandler
The lowdown: The Raiders will have to replace their top two goal scorers from a year ago in Max Garcia and Christian Cuevas. However, Cibola is loaded with young talent and many of them got significant minutes as underclassmen.
Jesus Canez, Jimmy Quintero and Christian Perez are three juniors to keep an eye out on in 2021. The Raiders also retain goalkeepers Adrian Matus and Lorenzo Silva.
Matus recorded 82 saves on 92 shots on goal as a junior.
With each of these players playing a big role in the Raiders’ playoff run last year, Claudio’s team has a promising future.
Program history: The Raiders have made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, but have never made it past the quarterfinals in 31 seasons.
San Luis 6A Desert Southwest
Coach: Jesus Rojas (4th season)
AIA opener: Jan. 19 at Hamilton (won 2-1)
The lowdown: San Luis is arguably the most consistent and dominant boys soccer program in the area. The Sidewinders will need to replace stellar goal scorer Ian Topete, the Yuma Sun’s 2019-2020 Boys Soccer Player of the Year, from last season.
However, Rojas’ team is experienced and poised to make another postseason run. They return six of their eight top scorers, led by Ricardo Famania.
Goalkeeper Martin Sanchez is a veteran in the net for the Sidewinders.
Program history: The Sidewinders have found themselves in the playoffs in all 17 years of fielding a team. They’ve been state runners-up twice.
Kofa Kings 6A Desert Southwest
Coach: Jamie Nicewander (15th season)
AIA opener: Jan. 22 at Millennium
The lowdown: Kofa’s team is mixed with upperclassmen and young players, which Nicewander believes could be his deepest team yet. The goals remain the same, but the Kings will have a more appreciative approach this year.
“We are looking forward to another season but especially this one because we feel blessed to have the opportunity to play and represent Kofa in such tumultuous times,” Nicewander said. “Our first goal is to stay healthy. I think that it will be the primary concern of everyone. We want to be competitive while honoring the guidelines in place and the game as a sport.”
Nicewander says striker Hector Quiroz to the goalkeeper Rudy Guevara promise to be great players to watch. The Kings will also field a variety of sophomore talent to go along with the seasoned veterans.
The Kings’ preparation in the offseason will be the difference maker for Nicewander’s club in 2021.
“Around the state this last year it was very difficult for all teams to train consistently but these young men found the time and even though we replaced significant players from last year that graduated, we will be competitive again,” he said.
Program history: Kofa made the playoffs last year for the first time since 2018. In the 22 years of soccer at Kofa, the Kings have hoisted two state championships, the last one coming in 1989.
Gila Ridge Hawks 5A Northwest
Coach: Alfonso
(3rd season)
AIA opener: Jan. 19 vs. Lake Havasu (lost 3-0)
The lowdown: Perez says he has a great group of players and the goal is to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth straight year.
Led by upperclassmen, Gadi German, Andres Valenzuela and Izaak Carrera are several players to keep an eye on.
An area of improvement the Hawks will need to work on as the season progresses is communication.
Program history: The Hawks have made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, including winning the 4A state championship in 2018.
Perez
Yuma High Criminals 4A Southwest
Coach: Juan Lerma (5th season)
AIA opener: Jan. 22 at Estrella Foothills
The lowdown: It’s been a rough two years for the Criminals, including a 1-11 season a year ago.
Program history: The Criminals have made the playoffs nine times in 38 years, but haven’t reached the postseason since 2018.
Yuma Catholic Shamrocks 3A Southwest
Coach: Ralph
(12th season)
AIA opener: Jan. 19 at ALA-Gilbert North (lost 5-1)
The lowdown: This is a very young Shamrocks team. Two freshmen are in the starting lineup to go along with just two seniors. Despite the youth, Evans said this year’s team is much deeper than last year’s 3A state runner-up club.
Providing the goals this year will be Sebastion Quintero and Isayah Rooks. Those two forwards possess a ton of speed for the Shamrocks.
Hector Olmos, Luis Olmos, Ian Souqoon and Christian Perez are several other players to keep an eye on.
In his 12th season, Ralph’s expectations remain the same.
“Our goals and expectations are the same this year as they are every year, play our best, stay focused on our goals, win our region, be there at the end for another title,” he said.
Program history: The Shamrocks have hoisted seven state championships, including winning four straight in a stretch from 2015-2018.
Evans
Girls
Cibola Raiders 6A Desert Southwest
Coach: Andrea Preciado (8th season)
AIA opener: Jan. 19 vs. Liberty (lost 6-3)
The lowdown: Preciado says this season will be a daily challenge more mentally than physically. With the uncertainty moving forward, he says his team needs to be prepared for any obstacle thrown their way.
Players to watch this year are Lizbeth Rubio (team captain), Sydney West, Faith Estrada, Jada Barnett and Itzel Meza.
Barnett returns after missing all of 2019-20 with a knee injury.
“She’s a game changer and will be a big contributor for us this season,” Preciado said.
The experience of the Raiders will help potentially lead them to another playoff berth. Preciado says most of the girls have been on the varsity level for two or three years.
Program history: The Raiders have made the postseason 14 times in 25 years, including four straight seasons.
San Luis Sidewinders 6A Desert Southwest
Coach: Fernando Ramirez (1st season)
AIA opener: Jan. 19 at Hamilton (lost 14-0)
The lowdown: The Sidewinders return their top six goal scorers from a year ago. Mariela Rodriguez, who netted 12 goals as sophomore, will lead San Luis this year offensively.
Program history: Have only appeared in the state playoffs twice in 17 seasons.
Kofa Kings 6A Desert Southwest
Coach: Santos Rangel (5th season)
AIA opener: Jan. 22 at Millennium
The lowdown: There’s plenty of bulletin board material for the Kings this year. After back-to-back seasons of missing the state tournament, Rangel says the goal is to compete every game and get back into the playoffs.
Helping lead the way offensively will be Hannah Urtado, who led the Kings in goal scoring as junior. Amanda Kochis, Alondra Lares and Dayana Gonzalez are several contributors from last year that will help set the pace in 2021. Rangel added Roselin Ramirez and Melissa Esquivel are players to watch this year.
With their returning experience, Rangel says the strength of his club is their speed and their ability to attack.
Program history: After eight consecutive seasons in the state postseason, the Kings have failed to extend their seasons in back-toback years.
Gila Ridge Hawks 5A Northwest
Coach: Cooper Cox (2nd season)
AIA opener: Jan. 19 at Lake Havasu (won 2-1)
The lowdown: The Hawks make the leap to the 5A conference this year, but are ready to compete as a strong group of players return from last year.
“Our goal is to win the Northwest region & build off of our success the past few years in the play-in game and the first round of the state tournament. We want to go deeper into the state playoffs this year than we’ve ever been before in our soccer program and make some noise as a new team in 5A,” Cox said.
Players to watch this year are Kourtney Celaya, Jessica Galaz, Kate Sumner, Danika Haxton and Annalyce Romero.
Cox adds the chemistry and unselfish play is what makes this team special.
Program history: The first nine years in program history, the Hawks failed to make the playoffs. However, Gila Ridge has advanced to the second round in each of the last three seasons.
Yuma High Criminals 4A Southwest
Coach: Michael Moreno (6th season)
AIA opener: Jan. 19 vs Paradise Honors (lost 13-0)
The lowdown: Yuma High is 1-24 in their last two regular seasons. Just two seniors fill Moreno’s roster in 2021. This is a very young Criminals team.
Program history: The Criminals have not appeared in the AIA playoffs since 2006.
Yuma Catholic Shamrocks 3A Southwest
Coach: Gerardo Huerta (1st season)
AIA opener: Jan. 19 vs. ALA-Gilbert North (lost 8-0)
The lowdown: Huerta, who coached at Yuma High the previous four seasons, looks to continue to the Shamrocks’ high-level of play on the pitch. However, the Shamrocks have started the 2021 season 0-2 and have been outscored 14-0.
Program history: The Shamrocks have made it to the postseason in 12 of the last 13 years and were state runner-ups in 2018.