The Yuma Criminals have been on a roller coaster ride over the last four years but another state championship and a wedding proposal has the team, and their head coach, on top once again.

The Criminals took second place in 2017, ending a 25-year absence from the trophy stand and the team followed that up with a narrow 170 to 169.5 victory over Walden Grove to win the Division III title in 2018, only to get knocked off that perch from Walden Grove in 2019. This winter, the Criminals held off a resurgent Sahuarita squad to claim the championship once again.

What does a coach do to celebrate his second championship in three years? Well, if you’re Jeff Welsing you get down on one knee and propose to your girlfriend by putting your previous championship ring on her finger.

To complete the picture, Brandie said yes while holding the tube that holds their new state championship banner.

Yuma scored 111 points, Sahuarita scored 91.5 and China Valley put up an even 90 points to round out the top three. The Mustangs took second place in 1977 and again in 2007 and the team is on a positive track thanks to the leadership of coach Paul Vasquez and his father Tim Berrier. Chino Valley took second in 2016.

 

DIVISION III CHAMPIONS

 

106: Noah Perez (Marcos De Niza) 41-7, Sr. over Cole Housley (Show Low) 32-9, Jr. (Dec 13-8)

113: Colby Evens (Chino Valley) 53-6, Jr. over Mario Bugarin (Yuma) 37-7, Jr. (Dec 3-2)

120: Pedro Billups (Coconino) 50-3, Sr. over Christian Lopez (Sahuarita) 36-10, Fr. (Fall 0:49)

126: Conner Schweigert (Show Low) 32-3, Sr. over Damian Hosokawa (Mesquite) 41-5, Sr. (Dec 10-6)

132: Gabriel Howard (Sahuarita) 47-1, Sr. over Armando Valencia (Peoria) 46-4, Jr. (MD 17-4)

138: Owen Berry (Walden Grove) 52-2, Sr. over Jesus Rivera (Tempe) 45-2, Jr. (TF-1.5 3:08 (15-0))

145: Jimmy Wayman (Lee Williams) 49-3, Sr. over Seth Fernandez (Combs) 15-1, Jr. (Dec 1-0)

152: Antonio Carbajal (Tempe) 45-12, Sr. over Payton Wayman (Lee Williams) 45-10, So. (SV-1 8-4)

160: Keller Rock (Chino Valley) 58-1, Sr. over Steven Dortch (Thunderbird) 43-5, Sr. (Fall 2:38)

170: Conrad Brady (Mingus) 16-3, Jr. over Colton Johnson (Greenway) 38-6, Sr. (Fall 0:33)

182: Robert White (Safford) 55-0, Sr. over Ethan Wright (Apache Junction) 42-2, Sr. (Fall 0:59)

195: Cody Arbogast (Apache Junction) 23-1, Sr. over Edgar O. Yanez Orduno (Tempe) 49-6, Sr. (Dec 10-5)

220: Jayden Dobson (Yuma) 54-2, Jr. over Michael Moussa (Catalina Foothills) 52-5, Sr. (Fall 1:57)

285: Taniela Taunima (Combs) 50-5, Jr. over Mike Krohnert (Seton Catholic) 35-4, Sr. (Dec 3-2)