2026 Prep Football Team Previews: Somerton Toros

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) - The Somerton Toros are still searching for their first varsity football win, but the program is showing clear signs of progress in its second season.

The Toros opened this season with a five point loss to a team in the Copper Canyon Aztecs that defeated Somerton by 48 points last year. A significant improvement for a young program still establishing itself.

For head coach Junior Atherton, this season is about more than finding that first win. It is also about sending out the program’s first senior class on a positive note while continuing to build a winning culture in Somerton.

“Seniors are excited about this year and we are too for them,” Atherton said. “They’ve been with me for four years. So we had a lot of growth.”

Atherton said many of the seniors had never played football before joining the program, making their development over the past several years especially meaningful.

“Never played the game of football ever in their lives,” Atherton said. “That’s the most interesting thing, is that in the last three years they’ve developed their skills and abilities to play at a high level.”

Senior running back and free safety Jose Polino has seen that growth firsthand.

“We’ve been getting better. We’ve been improving,” Polino said. “We’ve all gotten bigger, faster, more smart with the game.”

Polino believes the progress can translate into a successful season, even with the Toros still looking for their first victory.

“I think this team is capable of making the playoffs this year,” Polino said. “People might not think so, but I believe we can.”

For senior lineman Martin Carlos, the final season is about making the most of his opportunity alongside teammates he has spent years with.

“You got to make the most of it because last year wasn’t great,” Carlos said. “But this year, we’re going to make a difference.”

Carlos said the time spent together has created a strong bond within the team.

“We’ve been with the same people for four years,” Carlos said. “I mean we’re all a brotherhood here.”

That brotherhood is something senior linebacker and tight end Roberto Siqueiros hopes will continue beyond his graduation.

Siqueiros wants to be a leader the younger players can rely on as they continue building the program.

“Having someone you can look up to, especially for the freshmen and sophomores or any of the underclassmen, I sort of would like to always be someone they can lean on,” Siqueiros said.

Siqueiros hopes that connection lasts even after the seniors leave Somerton.

“Even after I graduate and they’re still in school, they can reach out if they want to talk or anything,” he said. “They have to help us get better, we have to help them get better especially after we leave.”

The Toros may still be searching for their first win, but their first senior class is helping establish something bigger. A foundation built on growth, leadership and brotherhood that Somerton hopes will last for years to come.