Somerton High School News

More than 500 Yuma Union High School District Career and Technical Education (CTE) students participated in the district’s first Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) officer leadership training, designed to strengthen leadership skills and prepare them for college, careers and their communities.

The half-day training was held over three days at the Pivot Point Conference Center and was facilitated by TEAMTRI, a leadership development company. Students received the same high-quality leadership training that is typically provided to state CTSO officers.

“Our new districtwide CTSO Leadership Training program reflects our commitment to expanding student leadership opportunities in CTE and equipping students with the tools to lead with confidence,” YUHSD Director of CTE Nereida Lansman said. “By providing greater access to high-quality leadership development, we are empowering more CTE students to excel in their officer roles, strengthen their CTSO chapters, and build valuable skills that will support their success in college, their careers, and their communities.”

The training focused on three key areas: discovering students’ leadership voices, building strong officer teams, and becoming ready to lead. Students developed skills in communication, teamwork, decision-making, goal-setting, and chapter management while connecting with CTSO leaders from across the district.

The first day included 172 Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) and Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) students, followed by 204 SkillsUSA students on the second day and 159 Future Farmers of America (FFA), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) students on the third day.

“Today was an amazing experience, I loved to see everyone collaborating with each other," Somerton High School HOSA student Afrika Carranza said. “Being able to learn skills from our guest speakers and being able to apply them to our chapters is super beneficial.”

The training expanded access to leadership development by nearly 45 percent and provided a more consistent leadership experience for CTE students across the district’s campuses and programs.

Students enrolled in CTE programs are encouraged to participate in CTSOs, which are an integral part of the CTE experience. Through these organizations, students can compete at the local, regional, state, and national levels while showcasing the knowledge and skills they have gained through their programs.

More than 700 Yuma Union High School District certified and classified employees took part in the district’s annual professional development day on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026.

This year’s theme, “The Measure of Our Work,” highlighted the learner-centered practices taking place across YUHSD schools and classrooms. The day featured 102 sessions led by 65 presenters, including 39 YUHSD educators. Topics addressed all areas of the YUHSD Instructional Framework, with 55 percent focused on Instructional Design. 

“As an educator, I enjoy the PD days because we get to collaborate and inquire with our peers across our district,” Yuma High School teacher Jessica Gastelum said. “We get to see what works in their classrooms, what they are seeing across our students and how we can come together to bridge the gap and offer all of the students within the Yuma community a better education and more resources.”

The day began with all teachers gathering in the auditorium, where each school principal presented one teacher from their respective campus with a gold educator champion belt, recognizing them as champions for their students. 

Here are the school champions for fall 2026:
Kari Lofton, Cibola High School; Maria Palacios, Gila Ridge High School; Adrienne Beck, Kofa High School; Jesus Rojas, San Luis High School; Yolanda De Hernandez, Somerton High School; Cathy Jones, Vista High School; and Zachary Kelly, Yuma High School.

Classified staff also participated in targeted professional learning, with six additional sessions facilitated by the procurement, human resources, and finance departments. 

In addition to staff training, students also gained valuable experience during the event. Career and Technical Education students from Gila Ridge High School and San Luis High School’s Film and TV Production programs, along with students from Kofa High School’s Digital Photography program, collaborated with the YUHSD Communications team to document the day.

“Working alongside other students and capturing the hard work teachers put into their schools was an amazing experience,” San Luis High School student Zoe Castillo said. “Recording, interviewing and participating in this hands-on experience to do something I’m so passionate about was a great way to learn more about what goes into the career. Overall, working on this project has contributed to my own growth while allowing me to contribute something that highlights the hard-working staff at YUHSD.”

YUHSD typically hosts professional development days for teachers and staff once per semester to provide an opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other. The second professional development day, recognized countywide, will take place in February 2027. 

While the district was closed to the public, students were engaged through Canvas, the district’s learning management system, while working from home. School resumed as regularly scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Twenty-one Yuma Union High School District teachers were awarded the Arizona Public Service (APS) “Supply My Class” Grant, which provides educators with $500 to use on classroom supplies. 

The annual program awards $500 prepaid gift cards to 500 randomly selected K-12 public school teachers within APS’ service territory. In 2026, the program received 8,386 applications, and 62 teachers from the Yuma County area were selected.

“I am incredibly grateful and pleasantly surprised to receive the APS Supply My Class grant,” Kofa High School teacher Sarah Figueroa said. “As a second-year teacher, I am still slowly building my classroom and working to create a welcoming space where students feel comfortable, connected, and excited to learn. I plan to use the grant to create that welcoming space as well as purchase more hands-on materials for class projects, along with stress balls and fidget tools that can help students stay focused and manage stress during class.”

Representatives from APS alongside the campus principal visited the classroom of each grant recipient to surprise them with the award. 

“By helping provide teachers with the resources they need, we're investing in students, supporting educators, and strengthening our communities,” APS Senior Material & Services Coordinator Shannon Olson said. “Seeing the positive impact these supplies have in the classroom is inspiring and reminds us that even small acts of support can make a lasting difference.”

The APS “Supply My Class” Program is in its ninth year and has supported over 6,000 teachers since its inception. In 2025, 19 YUHSD educators received the grant. 

2026 YUHSD grant recipients: 
Cibola High School: Shaylinn Mays, Tyffany Sitzmann, Belina Vargas
Gila Ridge High School: Brianna Flores, Kristi Jurgens, Tracey Lee-North, Suzette Reyes, Caelin Sandoval, Ulises Torres, Lena Wilde
Kofa High School: Clarissa Monroy, Sarah Figueroa
San Luis High School: Vanessa Correa, Malinalli Tapia, Lizbeth Valera, Daniel Correa
Somerton High School: Claudia Sohnleitner, Kateri Carrasco, Lejuna Ratcliff
Vista High School: Adam Camarena
Yuma High School: Meredith Young 

For the fifth consecutive year, Yuma Union High School District reported a decline in its dropout rate, a number that has continually trended around 3 percent better than the state average.

According to data compiled from Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Connect, YUHSD’s dropout rate for the 2025-26 school year was 1.01 overall, while the Arizona state average dropout rate was 4.14. It is the lowest dropout rate in YUHSD’s history since ADE Connect began tracking the data.

YUHSD has outperformed the state of Arizona every year since 2012.

“I think every year we do our best to have the lowest dropout rate possible,” San Luis High School Dropout Prevention Specialist Rigoberto Conde said. “This year we are also tasked to form a committee to not just work on dropout prevention, but attendance. It will help us prevent students from not just dropping out but get also them to school and stay in school all day

All YUHSD campuses employ a Dropout Prevention Specialist as part of their respective guidance counseling departments. The group of Yescina Cuming at Cibola, Beatriz Felix at Gila Ridge, Edgardo Gonzalez at Kofa, Rigoberto Conde at San Luis, Chris Reese at Somerton, Arisbey Garcia at Vista, and Anet Solorzano at Yuma High has been nationally recognized for the role they play in keeping students in school.

Dropout Prevention Specialists are part of the collaborative effort between the counseling department, teachers, and support staff members to intervene with students before they consider dropping out. This includes phone calls, one-on-one conversations with students, and home visits.

Here is a list of dropout data for all YUHSD schools from the 2025-26 school year:
Cibola: 1.19 percent
Gila Ridge: 0.49 percent
Kofa: 0.93 percent
San Luis: 0.92 percent
Somerton High: 0.82 percent
Vista: 0.34 percent
Yuma High: 1.24 percent

Here are YUHSD’s dropout rates for the past five years:
2025-26: 1.01 percent
2024-25: 1.13 percent
2023-24: 1.42 percent
2022-23: 2.14 percent
2021-22: 2.85 percent

Yuma Union High School District schools received a grant worth $14,000 from the Albertsons Companies Foundation to distribute evenly amongst all seven YUHSD schools. 

YUHSD superintendents were invited to apply for the grant by Albertsons Foundation officials in an effort to give back to the community after recently remodeling their Avenue B location in Yuma.

“We truly value this partnership with Albertson's and appreciate their investment in our students and our community,” YUHSD Associate Superintendent Lilian Campa said. “We're proud of the opportunities our schools provide every day, and support like this helps us continue that important work. We thank Albertson's for believing in our students and standing alongside YUHSD.”

Each campus received $2,000 in unrestricted funds, allowing schools to determine how the funds will best meet their needs. Campuses are intending to use them for everything from classroom supplies and instructional materials to professional development. 

YUHSD leaders were invited to a ribbon cutting event on July 8 to be recognized along with the newly remodeled store, and accept the $2,000 checks for each school from the Albertsons Companies Foundation. 

Yuma Union High School District, in partnership with Onvida Health, will be hosting a no-cost sports physical event on July 31, 2026 at Somerton High School.

The event is open to all YUHSD student-athletes. Parents/guardians must be in attendance. Doors open at 3:15 p.m. and exams will conclude at 7 p.m.

Exams will be conducted by Onvida Sports Medicine Fellowship Program Director Dr. Ryan Zerr and other medical residents.

A physical is required to participate in Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) competition. All physical examinations completed at the event will cover the student-athlete for the 2026-27 school year.

Families my access the physical forms prior to the event by visiting: https://www.yumaunion.org/district1/athletics/clearance-documents

For the first time in school history, students from Somerton High School’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program qualified for national competitions in multiple disciplines. 

Students from Law and Public Safety and Sports Medicine classes will represent Somerton at the SkillsUSA and the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) national competitions, respectively, after earning first place at state-level competitions. 

“As instructors, we're always wanting our students to achieve the best, but honestly, only because it was our first year competing and not because I doubted the girl's skills, I was not expecting the team to win state,” Somerton Law and Public Safety Instructor Mark Dusek said. “There were competitors and instructors with more experience, but when Somerton's name was called as the gold medal winner, I couldn't have been prouder.”

Law and Public Safety students Danytza Amador-Lopez, Anahi Padilla and Danna Olivarria, who earned first place at state, will be competing in Career Pathways Showcase in the Human Services category at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta from June 1-5. 

Sports Medicine student Olivea Segovia, who also earned first place at state, will be competing in Sports Medicine at the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Indianapolis from June 17-20. 

“I am so proud of the students and advisors for their hard work, time, commitment, and dedication they have put in to get to the national level,” Somerton CTE Instructional Leader Tamara Kay said. “This is their first year competing at state for both of these programs, and to have national competitors is very exciting.”

The students are now preparing to be judged on their topic again, but on a larger scale. They will be joining another 80 Yuma Union High School District students in national competitions throughout the summer and fall. 

More than 80 individuals from the Yuma Union High School District Career and Technical Education (CTE) program are advancing to nationals after multiple state competitions over several weeks this spring. 

More than 700 students from all seven YUHSD schools competed in SkillsUSA, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), and Future Farmers of America (FFA) throughout April and May, with FFA leadership competitions still to come in June. 

“It is wonderful to have CTSO winners from all of our campuses this year,” CTE Executive Director Lorie Honeycutt said. “We are very proud of each competitor for doing their best, and we are especially excited for those who have the opportunity to advance to the national level and represent us in even more challenging circumstances.”

In addition to individual and team achievements, all YUHSD CTSO chapters received awards for their work in community events and school activities, including bronze, silver, and gold chapter recognitions. Kofa High School Law & Public Safety teacher Eric Frost was also recognized as Advisor of the Year for SkillsUSA. 

Kofa’s Marine Corps JROTC program competed in several events and earned recognitions at all of them, as well as received the highest honors associated with the Leadership and Employability Skills Industry Credential Assessment. The Army JROTC took the assessment for the first time this year. Twenty-two cadets earned a passing score.

YUHSD has national competitors in every CTSO event taking place in various locations across the United States. See the full list of individuals who advanced to nationals below: 

FBLA
Aubri Anthony, Gila Ridge, Hospitality and Event Management; Ana Montes Burga, Gila Ridge, Hospitality and Event Management

FCCLA
Zada Rodriguez, Cibola, Baking and Pastry; Monico Rico, Cibola, Chapter Service Project Display; Trystan Walsh, Cibola, Chapter Service Project Display; Janessa Rodriguez, Cibola, Early Childhood Education; Angelita Robles, Cibola, Food Innovations; Ruehl Swenson, Cibola, Food Innovations; Leah Arcega, Cibola, State Officer First Vice President; Penelope Petersen, Gila Ridge, Entrepreneurship; Maliah Franco, Gila Ridge, Personal Finance; Isabel Offutt, Gila Ridge, Say Yes to FCS; Elena Packham, Kofa, Sports Nutrition; Jaidynn Soils, Kofa, Sports Nutrition; Orlando Alvarez, San Luis, Entrepreneurship; Angel Vargas, San Luis, State Officer Competitive Events

FFA
Lane Bacon, Cibola, Poultry Evaluation; Faith Escalante, Cibola, Poultry Evaluation; Drew Martinez, Cibola, Poultry Evaluation; Brooklyn Marchant, Gila Ridge, Agricultural Business; Samuel Ricker, Gila Ridge, Agricultural Business; Gage Sullivan, Gila Ridge, Agricultural Business; Lauren Sullivan, Gila Ridge, Agricultural Business; 

JROTC
Mildreth Hernandez, Kofa, Marine Corps Service Rifle Nationals; Thifanny Cardenas, Kofa, Marine Corps Service Rifle Nationals; Mildreth Hernandez, Kofa, Civilian Marksmanship Program State Rifle Championship (Individual); Mildreth Hernandez, Gunner Kinsey, Macrina Covarrubias, Garnet Ortiz, Kofa, Civilian Marksmanship Program State Rifle Championship (Team); Mildreth Hernandez, Kofa, NRA National Rifle Championship (Individual); Mildreth Hernandez, Thifanny Cardenas, Delila Mendez, Gunner Kinsey, Kofa, NRA National Rifle Championship (Team)

HOSA
Hillary Habecker, Kofa, HOSA History (Advisor); Dereck Damian, San Luis, Public Health; Natalia Medina, San Luis, Public Health; Santiago Penuelas, San Luis, Public Health; Juan Pinon, San Luis, Public Health; Carlos Rendon, San Luis, Public Health; Jose Santana, San Luis, Public Health; Afrika Carranza, Somerton, HOSA Secretary; Olivea Segovia, Somerton, Sports Medicine

SkillsUSA
Savanah Martinez, Cibola, Aesthetics; Cadence Pavey, Cibola, Aesthetics; Isabela Bean Davis, Cibola, State Officer; Clair Rubio, Cibola, State Officer; Fathyma Casillas, Kofa, American Spirit; Valeria Medina-Alvarado, Kofa, American Spirit; Jennifer Leyva, Kofa, American Spirit; Damian Burgos, Kofa, Career Pathways Showcase Business and Tech; Diego Enriquez, Kofa, Career Pathways Showcase Business and Tech; Zacaria Paredes, Kofa, Career Pathways Showcase Business and Tech; Koriina Ramos, Kofa, Occupational Health and Safety (Single); Sophia Rocha, Kofa, Occupational Health and Safety (Single); Zariyah Villa, Kofa, Occupational Health and Safety (Single); Amaya Kelln, Kofa, Power Equipment Technology; Samuel Alvarez, San Luis, Building Maintenance; Jose Gaxiola, San Luis, Firefighting; Martin Juarez, San Luis, Robotics and Animation; Raul Quiroz, San Luis, Robotics and Animation; Danytza Lopez, Somerton, Career Pathways Showcase Human Services; Danna Olivarria, Somerton, Career Pathways Showcase Human Services; Anahi Padilla, Somerton, Career Pathways Showcase Human Services

Yuma Union High School District is proud to sponsor the Summer Food Service Program at no cost for all children, ages 18 and younger. No registration or ID required.

ALL children are welcome at all sites. Meals are required to be consumed on-site at the following locations: Cibola High School, Kofa High School, Vista High School, and Yuma High School. Drive thru to-go meals (child must be present) and on-site meals at the following locations: Gila Ridge High School, San Luis High School, and Somerton High School. All sites are closed June 19 and July 3.

Meals will be provided at the sites and times as follows: 

Site	Address	Dates of Service	Meal	Service Time	Meal	Service Time
Cibola	4100 W 20th Street	June 2-12	Breakfast	7:15-8:15 a.m.	Lunch	11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Gila Ridge	7150 E 24th Street	June 2-12	Breakfast	7:15-8:15 a.m.	Lunch	11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Gila Ridge	7150 E 24th Street	June 15-July 29			Breakfast & Lunch	10:30-11:30 a.m.
Kofa	3100 S Avenue A	June 2-12	Breakfast	7:15-8:15 a.m.	Lunch	12-1 p.m.
Kofa	3100 S Avenue A	July 13-24	Breakfast	7:15-8:15 a.m.	Lunch	12-1 p.m.
San Luis	1250 N 8th Avenue	June 2-12	Breakfast	7:15-8:15 a.m.	Lunch	11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
San Luis	1250 N 8th Avenue	June 15-July 10			Breakfast & Lunch	10:30-11:30 a.m.
Somerton	1093 W Jefferson Street	June 2-12	Breakfast	7:15-8:15 a.m.	Lunch	10-11 a.m.
Somerton	1093 W Jefferson Street	June 15-July 10			Breakfast & Lunch	10:30-11:30 a.m.
Vista	3150 S Avenue A	June 2-12	Breakfast	8-8:45 a.m.	Lunch	12:30-1:30 p.m.
Yuma High	400 S 6th Avenue	June 2-12	Breakfast	7:15-8:15 a.m.	Lunch	12-1 p.m.
Yuma High	400 S 6th Avenue	June 22-25	Breakfast	7:15-8:15 a.m.	Lunch	12-1 p.m.
Yuma High	400 S 6th Avenue	July 13-16	Breakfast	7:15-8:15 a.m.	Lunch	12-1 p.m.

Yuma Union High School District reserves the right to change and/or cancel a site or serving period. Menu is subject to change depending on the availability of products.

Meals will be provided to all children, ages 18 and under, without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.  

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1.      Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2.      Fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3.      Email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider

Yuma Union High School District student nutrition managers and assistant managers earned their School Nutrition Association (SNA) credential certifications. 

The SNA provides leadership development through online coursework and operational training in partnership with the Institute of Child Nutrition. 

“Their commitment to professional growth and leadership development is nothing short of inspiring,” YUHSD Executive Director of Student Nutrition Elena Hildreth said. “Each of them is already working toward their next credential level; a true reflection of their passion and drive to serve our students at the highest level.”

Collectively, the group has completed more than 492 hours of online training covering topics such as food allergens, dietary guidelines, operations, leadership, and more. The certification process included exams after each course, as well as specialized training such as a manager sanitation certification, a child nutrition 101 course, and advanced coursework requiring extensive program-solving and critical thinking, recipe reading and comprehension, and understanding recipe units of measurement. 

According to Hildreth, the SNA certification will be a requirement for future managerial positions in the department.

Over the past three years, the YUHSD student nutrition department has expanded  scratch cooking, developed original recipes, and introduced breakfast carts across campuses. The department has also increased staff training and established committed partnerships with organizations that provide equipment, resources, and professional development such as the Chef Ann Foundation, No Kid Hungry/Share the Strength, and the Arizona Dairy Council, to help support students inside and outside of the classroom.

Yuma Union High School District, in partnership with Onvida Health, will be hosting a no-cost sports physical event on May 1, 2026 at San Luis High School. 

The event is open to all YUHSD student-athletes. Parents/guardians must be in attendance. Doors open at 4 p.m. and exams will conclude at 6 p.m. 

Exams will be conducted by Onvida Sports Medicine Fellowship Program Director Dr. Ryan Zerr and other medical residents.

“The sports physical event at SLHS is a great opportunity for our community to get ahead for next year,” SLHS Athletic Trainer Katia Rojas said. “Whether a student is already planning to join a sport or just considering it, this is a perfect chance to take advantage of a free physical. It’s also a wonderful chance for everyone to meet our athletic trainers, who play a key role in helping keep students healthy and injury-free throughout their seasons, as well as connect with doctors from our local community.”

A physical is required to participate in Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) competition. All physical examinations completed at the event will cover the student-athlete for the 2026-27 school year.

Yuma Union High School District Career and Technical Education (CTE) welding students took part in Western Welding Academy’s 2026 Blue Collar Tour, a trade-career promotional tour, hosted on February 25 at Kofa High School.

“This tour is to encourage students to explore a welding career,” said Jayson Beagley, who is the Director of Blue Grit Foundation, an affiliate of Western Welding Academy. “We want them to understand that there's opportunities across the trade and it's not just a place to start, it's a place to advance.”

Welding students from Kofa, Gila Ridge High School, Yuma High School, Somerton High School, and San Luis High School participated in the high-energy presentation which included giveaways, welding demonstrations, a Q&A session, and insights about trade careers from Western Welding Academy graduates. 

“I loved the weld competition,” Kofa welding student Logan Marin said. “It was a lot of fun getting to weld and see others weld. The Blue Collar guys were very welcoming when they were teaching us."

YUHSD is one of 30 stops on the 2026 Blue Collar Tour. This is the second time the tour visited a YUHSD campus. The first was in 2024, which also took place at Kofa. 

Five wrestlers from Yuma Union High School District schools earned individual state titles at the three-day Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) wrestling championships in Phoenix.

Cannon Farrar from Gila Ridge High School was the 120-pound boys champion in Division I, while Kofa High School’s David Elias took home the Division I title at 132 pounds.

“I couldn’t be prouder,” GRHS boys wrestling coach Abel Villamoreno said. “Finishing sixth as a team in the toughest division and putting three wrestlers in the top three says a lot about their hard work and the direction of our program. The best part is every wrestler who finished on the state podium, including our two-time state champion (Farrar), is coming back next year, along with six returning state qualifiers who are determined to get on that podium.”

Somerton High School produced three state champions. Jayden Preston at 113 pounds and Kenneth Garcia at 120 pounds were Division IV boys title winners, while Annette Preston won the 185-pound title in girls Division II.

“The direction for the program can only get better from here on out, the sky’s the limit,” SHS girls wrestling coach Christopher Polanco said. “We managed to place, not only without any seniors, but missing five weight classes. The addition of the incoming freshman from middle school and a little bit of on-campus recruitment will help us build. A second-place finish helps makes it a whole lot easier to convince some ladies to come out and contribute to our program.”

Overall, nearly half of the district-record 49 wrestlers who qualified for state placed in the top six. Meanwhile, four programs also finished in the top 10 of team points, including Somerton girls placing second in Division II, Gila Ridge and Kofa boys finishing sixth and 10th, respectively, in Division I, and Somerton boys finishing sixth in Division IV.

Here are all YUHSD wrestlers who placed at the state finals:

BOYS

Gila Ridge High School, Division I
Cannon Farrar, 120, first; Ayden Sevilla, 106, second; Raidyn Tanaka, 150, third; Diesel Labady, 132, sixth

Kofa High School, Division I
David Elias, 132, first; Logan Whitacre, 215, third; Roman Jaimes, 126, fifth

Somerton High School, Division IV
Jayden Preston, 113, first; Kenneth Garcia, 120, first; Aztlan Raya, 106, fifth; Diego Felix, 126, fifth; Jose Perez, 138, sixth; Peter Rivas, 285, sixth

Yuma High School, Division III
Jayden Espinoza, 126, second

GIRLS

Gila Ridge High School, Division I
Georgia Barron, 120, sixth

Somerton High School, Division II
Annette Preston, 185, first; Jordyn Isla, 114, third; Breilla Reynoso, 120, third; Gianna Anaya, 235, third; Ariana Villafana, 107, fifth

Yuma Union High School District has long produced a winning standard in wrestling, earning a team state championship and multiple individual state titles in the past eight years alone.

The 2026 season, however, may ultimately be the school district’s most successful season to date. A record 49 boys and girls wrestlers from YUHSD qualified for the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) state tournament, which begins February 19 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.   

Gila Ridge High School qualified 11 boys for the Division I tournament, while Somerton High School, in just its third year, qualified 11 boys for the Division IV tournament. Somerton also had seven girls qualify for Division II.

It’s the most combined wrestlers in YUHSD history to make it to the state tournament. The 35 boys who qualified from YUHSD schools in 2026 are the most from the district since 2019 when 36 boys and eight girls qualified. Girls wrestling was officially added by the AIA in 2019.

The district’s previous high was 48 wrestlers in 2016 when Cibola High School had a qualifier from all 14 weight classes. Additionally, the district has qualified 30 or more wrestlers for state every year dating back to at least 2011.

Here are all YUHSD state wrestling qualifiers and their weight class for 2026:

BOYS
Cibola High School
Isyael Ibarra, 285

Gila Ridge High School
Ayden Sevilla, 106; Cannon Farrar, 120; Adan Velasquez, 126; Diesel Labady, 132; Owen Beck, 138; Pedro Luna, 144; Raidyn Tanaka, 150; Anderson Lesueur, 157; Logan Lines, 165; Adam Kempton, 175; Julio Gonzalez, 190

Kofa High School
Dylan Rush, 113; Roman Jaimes, 126; David Elias, 132; Emitt Merrill, 138; Isaac Paxton, 190; Logan Whitacre, 215; Gerardo Anaya, 285

San Luis High School
Ivan Ortiz, 165

Somerton High School, Division 4
Aztlan Raya, 106; Jayden Preston, 113; Kenneth Garcia, 120; Diego Felix, 126; Bernardo Felix, 132; Jose Perez, 138; Jose Polino, 144; Jesus Valenzuela, 150; Andres Centeno, 157; Frank Rivas, 215; Peter Rivas, 285

Yuma High School, Division 3
Joel Anaya, 113; Jayden Espinoza, 126; Estevan Romero, 132; Sebastian Cruz Peralta, 215

GIRLS
Cibola High School
Alicia Valenzuela, 152; Jolene Drake, 185

Gila Ridge High School
Jayleen Cortez, 107; Georgia Barron, 120; Savannah Pope, 165

Kofa High School
Mia Johnson, 165

Somerton High School, Division 2
Ariana Villafana, 107; Jordyn Isla, 114; Breilla Reynoso, 120; Yahaira Verdugo, 152; Sahari Pena, 165; Annette Preston, 185; Gianna Anaya, 235

Yuma High School, Division 2
Jaslyn Aguilar, 114