Saguaro football hires former Washington state champion coach

Jason Ronquillo, who rebuilt Yelm High and led it to a 2022 Washington state championship, will lead Scottsdale Saguaro's football program.

Adam Beadle of Arizona Varsity first reported the hire on X. Scottsdale Unified School District confirmed the hire in a news release sent to The Arizona Republic.

"Coach Ronquillo brings a championship pedigree, a proven record of transforming programs, and a steadfast commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the field," the release says. "His leadership philosophy centers on excellence, accountability, and character. These values align seamlessly with the proud tradition of Saguaro High School."

The school conducted a lengthy search after dismissing two-year coach Darius Kelly at the end of last season. The Sabercats went 4-16 during his short tenure that followed a 6A championship season under one-year coach Zak Hill.

In 2023, Ronquillo took Yelm to the state final following his state championship season, before losing to Belleview. He took over at Yelm in 2013, and in 2018 led the school to its first playoff appearance since 1987. He resigned from Yelm in late May 2025 and served as an assistant football coach at Gilbert High last season.

The same year Ronquillo took Yelm to the state championship, Saguaro reached the second straight Open Division state final under Jason Mohns, who later resigned to become an assistant coach at Arizona State. Saguaro won the Open title in 2021 and was runner-up in 2022.

The culture shifted after Mohns left, and the Saguaro struggled with continuity and stability as key players left the program and several assistant coaches left. Ronquillo is known for his rebuild job at Yelm.

"Saguaro has a storied history of excellence,” said Stephen Cervantez, SUSD Athletic Director. “We are confident that under Coach Ronquillo’s direction, our football program will continue to compete at the highest level while representing our school with integrity and pride.”

Ronquillo was not immediately available for comment.

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don't miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Saguaro football hires former Washington state champion coach