PREP FOOTBALL SUMMER SERIES: Yuma Criminals

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - As part of our continuing Prep Football Summer Series, we sat down with Yuma High School head football coach Armando Mosqueda, who is preparing for his fifth season leading the Criminals.

With the new season on the horizon, Coach Mosqueda says the focus for 2025 is clear: Build a winning culture from the ground up.

"Once we get that culture going, the kids start to buy in," Mosqueda said. "They believe in what we're preaching, what the coaches say, and what the team leaders say. That's when the success starts to follow."

It's a young team for the Criminals this year, but Mosqueda says that's part of the process molding players through adversity and leadership opportunities both on and off the field.

"We're trying to teach them how to respond in different situations, whether that's on the field or in the community," he said. "It's about building good athletes and good men."

After a season that came with its challenges, Mosqueda believes his team is entering 2025 with a fresh mindset and an understanding that their success is in their hands.

"We're not carrying any labels this year," Mosqueda said. "We can create our own future. This season is whatever we want it to be."

One major storyline heading into the fall is the newly aligned region that now features every public school in Yuma County facing off against one another something Coach Mosqueda is particularly excited about.

"I remember when I was a player at Yuma High, we played all the local schools," he recalled. "Now we're getting back to that, and that's what football is all about — community, competition, and crosstown rivalries."

The Criminals will face off against familiar rivals like Kofa, Cibola, Somerton, and Gila Ridge. For Mosqueda, it's a chance to foster regional pride and give local fans something to rally around.

"We've got to take it one step at a time," he said. "Every week is a new opponent, and every game matters if we want to come out on top here in Yuma County."

Stay tuned for more team spotlights and exclusive interviews as we count down to kickoff.