Gila Ridge wins 7-on-7 competition at San Pasqual as teams prepare for fall football season

WINTERHAVEN, Calif. (KYMA) - High school football teams from across Yuma County and beyond gathered at San Pasqual High School on Saturday for a day of competition, development and preparation ahead of the upcoming season.

The summer 7-on-7 competition and lineman challenge brought programs from around the region to Warrior Field. Giving athletes an opportunity to sharpen their skills during the offseason while facing competition outside of their own schools.

The event began at 8 a.m. with drills, skill competitions and lineman challenges before transitioning into the 7-on-7 tournament later in the day. Teams participating included Gila Ridge, Kofa, Somerton, Desert Star Academy of Fort Mohave, and several other local programs.

San Pasqual head football coach, Miguel Rivas, said the event is designed to provide players with valuable repetitions and an opportunity to continue improving throughout the summer.

“Oh it’s fun man," Rivas said. "Like I said today is all about reps you know. It means everything man. I try to tell all my kids at San Pasqual, the more you train, the more you work the better you are going to get. Sitting at home playing video games, sitting on the couch watching TV is not going to get you nowhere. If you want to get better, you got to be out here, you got to be working."

For Somerton, one of the newest varsity football programs in the area, the tournament served as an opportunity to continue building the program while competing against different opponents.

“We just want to compete," Ed Contreras, the Toros varsity defensive coordinator said. "The kids we have get them an opportunity to come out here and go against somebody else besides each other. We’ve already been practicing for two weeks now. Prior to graduation, we had another week or two of practice there, so the kids are excited. That’s the goal as a team. Just continue to get better.”

Players from Desert Star said the competition provided a chance to gauge the team's progress heading into the season.

“We competed very well I feel like," Nathan Clark, the Titans quarterback said. "We’re still very young so we have a lot ahead of us. So just a stepping stone right now.”

Another player credited the team's brief offseason work for its growth.

“We got way bigger, stronger," Gavin Canning, the Titans running back said. "There’s gonna be a good year this year.”

Following a morning of drills and individual competitions, teams battled through the 7-on-7 bracket. The championship game featured the Gila Ridge Hawks and Desert Star Academy Titans, with Gila Ridge emerging victorious to claim the tournament win.

Hawks senior quarterback Issac Soliz said the event provided a valuable opportunity for his team to continue building chemistry and momentum after a successful season.

“It feels good," Soliz said. "It’s good to compete and over the summer get better with our team. And we just need to keep going. We just need to keep doing well. We don’t want to drop down after one good year. We’re going to put our work in. Shoutout Coach Frankie. He’s our strength and conditioning coach. He gets us right in the summer.”

While the regular season remains months away, Saturday's tournament gave teams a chance to evaluate their progress and gain valuable experience. Coaches and players alike hope the work being put in during the summer will translate into success when the high school football season kicks off this fall.