Mingus Union High School’s list of senior student-athletes who will play at the next level grew on Wednesday, Feb. 7, whose additions are the first for football.
Martin Soria and Marcos Valenzuela committed to play at Phoenix College on the same day seniors from around the country announced their college choices.
Playing with the Bears should feel the same as it did with the Marauders.
“I really liked the school because they do all the same things Coach [Bob] Young did,” Valenzuela said. “They write out film every week per team, we write out film every week per team. It’s all the same. Our defense is the same, they have a good coaching staff, their defensive coordinators were really chill with us, they reached out to us.”
In a move that surprised Arizona’s football community, the Maricopa County Community College District announced on Feb. 5 that after the 2018 football season, four of its schools, including Phoenix College, would lose their programs.
Nonetheless the pair of Marauders remained committed, as did many other players from around the state.
“I’m just glad I’m getting the opportunity to do it, so I’m all in,” Soria said.
“It’s just an opportunity, I’m not ready to give up football yet. Four years wasn’t enough,” Valenzuela said. “However many years I get after that one year of college ball, but it’s another opportunity to go farther.”
The pair was recruited to play defensive back for the Bears. Soria played just five games for Mingus after having to sit out the first half of the season due to his transfer from 1A Williams High School.
At Williams, Soria was a First Team All-Conference 1A defensive back and Second Team quarterback, finishing as a state runner-up in 2016. 1A plays eight-man football. This year he was Honorable Mention All-Grand Canyon Region, totaling 22 tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles. He added 238 yards and five touchdowns on 24 rush attempts.
“With Martin, he gets out of bed, and he’s 6-foot-1, 180 [pounds] and runs a 4.4 [40-yard dash],” Mingus defensive backs coach Jose Zabala said. “It’s been an adjustment for him from 1A to 4A, but by the time the season ended, if we’d have had Martin the full half of that season, it would’ve been different.
“What we’re proud about is that he’s the first one to go to school. His brothers didn’t; they were as athletic as him. Phoenix College is getting a kid that’s excited to be there. Hopefully the goal is one year and he’ll be out and he’ll be to a bigger school.”
Valenzuela was a First Team All-Grand Canyon Region defensive back this year, racking up 24 tackles and three interceptions. Zabala said that he began his recruiting process in December and will need to contribute right off the bat.
“With Marcos, he’s very coachable. He’s raw and inexperienced, but he’s very coachable. He’s very determined,” Zabala said. “This coaching staff at Phoenix College, I think it’s a good fit for him. At the next level he has to figure out that he doesn’t have three years to wait, he’s got to get in there and perform now.”
