Each has a story of tribulation during their Desert View careers, but linebacker Anton Jamero and running back Jacob Ramirez never stopped working toward what occurred Thursday at the school.
Jamero signed a national letter of intent with Ripon (Wis.) College, an NCAA Division III school, and Ramirez did the same with Lyon College, an NAIA institution in Batesville, Ark.
Desert View LB @anton_jamero13 signs with Ripon College and RB @Jacob_thebull with Lyon College today. Continuing their football careers and education while also serving as solid role models for youths. Coach Robert Bonillas behind them. #asthhssports pic.twitter.com/gVLHkT8OSH
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) March 19, 2021
Family members, teammates, friends and Desert View coach Robert Bonillas, who played for Dick Tomey at Arizona, were in attendance at the school’s gymnasium.
“Keeping a good mindset through the adversity and keep looking forward to everything,” Jamero said when asked about his thoughts about going on to the next level when things looked bleak last fall.
Jamero tore his ACL in his right knee during Desert View’s second game at Walden Grove on Nov. 23. That turned out to be the Jaguars’ last game of the season because of COVID-19 protocols.
Instead of dropping its recruitment of Jamero, Ripon’s coaching staff stuck with him, the deciding factor in him leaving home to study engineering there.
Desert View 1,000-yard RB @Jacob_thebull talks about signing with @LyonScotsFball. Weathered a lot of adversity in HS career with a knee injury as a junior and a season cut short this season by COVID-19. #asthssports pic.twitter.com/pAmOP5hWUM
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) March 19, 2021
Ramirez, who gained 1,144 yards rushing as sophomore in 2018, has an especially difficult background at Desert View. He tore his ACL and that wiped out his entire junior season. Ramirez only had two games in the fall to impress college recruiters before COVID-19 shut down the season.
Lyon College’s staff believed in the Ramirez of 2018. They realized his ability and looked past the situation of him playing only two games in the last two years.
“It shows me I can overcome anything,” Ramirez said. “Adversity was thrown in my way but it taught me how to work hard. I have a sense of grind. I work harder. I have a better work ethic now because I know it can be taken away from me at any minute, any second.”
Bonillas said it was a “blessing” coaching Ramirez and Jamero and his other seniors because he benefited as much from coaching them as they learned under him.
“Being part of helping them, coaching them up and having them for four years, that was a blessing, and it’s a blessing for the families to see their kids get a second chance of getting an education,” Bonillas said.
Desert View LB @anton_jamero13 signed with @RiponRedHawkFB today. Jamero promising athlete who also played QB for Jaguars in his career. Ripon did the honorable thing of sticking with Jamero after he suffered an ACL tear in his right knee this season. #asthssports pic.twitter.com/0OK0BhaWK7
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) March 19, 2021
He looked over at Ramirez and Jamero signing their letters of intent and mentioned, “these two kids are the kids that you want.”
“I do want to thank all of our community, our teachers, especially, starting from the elementary schools, because this is a product of our community,” he said. “I wish them the best of luck. It was great having them, coaching them.
“It does mean a lot to us and the program also so that kids can see they can realize their dreams soon.”
Ramirez and Jamero are two of 37 local Class of 2021 prospects who have committed or signed a national letter of intent. Here is a list of them:
- Former Salpointe OT Jonah Miller on May 18 to Oregon. He signed on Dec. 16.
- CDO RB Stevie Rocker on July 16 to Arizona. He signed on Dec. 16.
- Ironwood Ridge QB Chase Cassel on Sept. 23 to St. Norbert. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Nogales LB Rene R. Urias Jr. on Oct. 1 to Grinnell, He signed on Feb. 13.
- Cienega QB Ryan Swoger on Oct. 23 to South Dakota State. He signed on Dec. 16.
- Walden Grove LB Sebastian Adamski on Nov. 16 to Drake. He signed on Dec. 16.
- Cienega C Andrew Husfelt on Nov. 19 to Washburn. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Ironwood Ridge FS Dylan Cook on Nov. 24 to Morehead State
- Walden Grove WR Alex Culbertson on Nov. 24 to Simpson
- Catalina Foothills TE Garrick Krautz on Dec. 9 to Morehead State.
- Cienega SS Sebastian Felix on Dec. 16 to Drake. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Cienega LB Isaiah Webb on Dec. 18 to Western New Mexico. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Cienega DT Hunter Schlagel on Dec. 18 to Western New Mexico. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Buena OT Dominic Avant on Jan. 19 to Sioux Falls. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Pusch Ridge RB/DB Evan Lovett on Jan. 19 to Minot (N.D.) State. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Cienega WR/DB Charles Hamm III on Jan. 19 to Jamestown. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Buena RB Isaac Benoit on Jan. 20 to Sioux Falls. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Salpointe TE Fernando Torres on Jan. 22 to St. Olaf.
- Cienega RB Gabe Levy on Jan. 23 to Mary. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Nogales WR Ricky Hanlan on Jan. 27 to Western New Mexico. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Cienega LB Josiah Flores on Feb. 2 to Fort Lewis. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Cienega S/RB C.J. Flores on Feb. 3 to NAU. He signed on Feb. 3.
- Empire ATH Yani Brown on Feb. 3 to Arizona Christian.
- Tucson WR/S Daniel Becerra on Feb. 3 to Chadron (Neb.) State.
- Sahuaro WR/S Damon Robledo on Feb. 3 to Concordia (Chicago). He signed on Feb. 3.
- Desert View LB Anton Jamero on Feb. 4 to Ripon. He signed on March 17.
- Rincon/University WR/S Steven Geiger on Feb. 4 to Lawrence. He signed on Feb. 4.
- Walden Grove RB Stephen Brower Jr. on Feb. 5 to Simpson. He signed on Feb. 18.
- Desert View RB Jacob Ramirez on Feb. 11 to to Lyon. He signed on March 17.
- Salpointe RB David Cordero on Feb. 15 to Ottawa.
- CDO CB Raife Anthony on Feb. 16 to Aurora.
- Sunnyside WR Anthony Galvez on Feb. 17 to Simpson.
- Salpointe DE Brees McCraren on Feb. 25 to Fort Lewis.
- Cienega WR Caleb Kidney on Feb. 25 to Western New Mexico
- Marana LB Mateo Campos on March 1 to Carroll.
- Pusch Ridge WR/S Kannon Jewel on March 7 to Randolph-Macon.
- Tucson RB/LB Martin Barreras on March 16 to Chadron (Neb.) State
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon.
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