Somerton earns first varsity football win with 32-0 rout of Rincon

TUCSON, Ariz. (KYMA) - The Somerton Toros finally have a varsity football victory to celebrate.

After nearly a year and a half of varsity competition and 13 consecutive losses, Somerton earned the first win in program history last Friday, dominating the Rincon Rangers 32-0.

The victory marked a major milestone for a program that has been working toward this moment since varsity football began.

“It's very impactful. Having the first varsity win for our entire program means a lot. I know a lot of our guys are hyped up. We finally won,” Somerton junior right tackle and defensive end Xavier Wong said.

For head coach Junior Atherton, the victory represented the completion of a goal the program had been chasing since its inaugural season.

“It was one of those goals we've been trying to reach since the start of football last year. Once you get that first win, it's a monkey off your back in a sense,” Atherton said. “Now we can focus on continuing to get those wins and building on this feeling."

Somerton's performance was especially meaningful after the Toros previously struggled to hold onto a lead against Copper Canyon.

This time, the team maintained its focus and continued executing throughout the game.

“We told ourselves to stay humble and keep executing because we didn't want to blow another lead like we did against Copper Canyon,” Wong said. “I think we were more hungry than they were. Everyone did amazing, everyone executed, and that's how we got the win.”

Atherton credited the victory to a complete team effort, saying all three phases of the game came together at the same time.

“It's about getting everything working at the same time,” Atherton said. “Usually, you have four or five players working at 100%, while a couple of others are still learning the game or making mistakes. Everything came together in all three phases, and when it's like that, it's tough to lose.”

Now, the Toros hope to use their historic victory as a foundation for more success.

For Somerton senior Isaac Valdez, the key moving forward is maintaining discipline and avoiding complacency.

“Stay disciplined, don't get too cocky and just keep playing the way we've been playing,” Valdez said.

While the victory was a major accomplishment, Somerton quarterback Edward Arvizo knows the season is far from over.

“This win means a lot to us, but we're still in the season, and we still have local teams to face,” Arvizo said. “As much as it means to win, we can't center our season around just this one game.”

The Toros will look to build on their first varsity win as they continue their season this upcoming Friday against the Cibola Raiders at home.