Top 10 high school mascots in Arizona: Vote for the best

From Dorados to Sand Devils to Sultans, meet the best high school mascots in Arizona

Former NFL referee Ed Hochuli is a Canyon del Oro Dorado, and that uniform is befitting of the Yuma Criminals. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It's really hot in Arizona this week, so why not make it cool high school mascot time?

Over the next couple of months, SBLive/SI will be featuring the best high school mascots in every state, giving readers a chance to vote for No. 1 in all 50.

Vote: Best high school mascot in Alabama

Vote: Best high school mascot in Alaska

The winners and highest vote-getters will make up the field for our NCAA Tournament-style March Mascot Madness bracket in 2025. The Coalinga Horned Toads (California) are the defending national champions.

Here are High School on SI's top 10 high school mascots in Arizona (vote in the poll below to pick your favorite):

The poll will close at 11:59 p.m. ET Friday, Sept. 13.

1. Caballeros (Flowing Wells HS)

By definition, a caballero is a Spanish gentleman, but in the Southwestern United States it’s known more as a horseman. However you want to apply the definition, Flowing Wells has the only Caballeros in the country in high school sports.

2. Criminals (Yuma HS)

Yuma (Arizona) Criminals logo. / SBLive archives

Here's how Yuma High School tells it: In 1913, "the Yuma football team traveled to Phoenix to play the 'Coyotes.' Yuma High won. The angry 'Coyotes' dubbed the Yuma High players the 'Criminals.' At first 'Criminals' was a fighting word. Before long, students and teachers wore the name with pride, and in 1917, the school board officially adopted the nickname. Yuma High School has been proudly called the home of the 'Criminals' ever since."

3. Dorados (Canyon del Oro HS)

A Dorado is a mythical Latin American warrior, and Canyon del Oro has that nickname all to itself in U.S. high school sports. The Dorados have won a ton of state titles over the years but are especially known for their baseball and softball prowess. One notable alumnus is former NFL referee Ed Hochuli, who boasted bigger biceps than the most impressive of all Dorados.

4. Gila Monsters (Gila Bend HS)

Gila Bend (Arizona) Gila Monsters logo. / SBLive archives

Arizona and California are the only U.S. states native to Gila monsters, and the small town of Gila Bend is the only high school in the country to claim the venomous lizard as its mascot. The town is named after its spot on a curve in the Gila River, but the high school chose a more monstrous approach for its athletic teams.

5. Heroes (Heritage Academy)

There are four Heritage Academy locations in Arizona, and the schools are such a big fan of “Heroes” as a mascot that every one of them uses it. For example, Heritage Academy played football against Heritage Academy last season, and the Heroes beat the Heroes 38-0. The Heroes celebrated, while the Heroes vowed to learn from the experience and get better.

6. Minotuars (Odyssey Institute)

Odyssey Institute (Arizona) Minotaurs logo. / SBLive archives

Odyssey Institute isn’t led by just any minotaur — it’s Marty the Minotaur, a fearsome-looking sort with a snarling gaze and stoic posture. The school’s motto is “We Dream, We Achieve, We Lead,” and its nickname is "The Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies West of the Mississippi and North of the Equator.”

7. Monsoon (Valley Vista HS)

Monsoon season is very real in Arizona, bringing high humidity, thunderstorms, heavy rain, lightning, hail, high winds, flash flooding, dust storms and extreme heat from June through September. There’s one other high school in the U.S. called the Monsoon, but it’s in Lakewood, California, which doesn’t boast much of a monsoon season, so Valley Vista wins.

8. Sand Devils (Page HS)

Page Sand Devils logo. / Courtesy of Page HS

Not only is Page unique with its nickname (they’re the only Sand Devils in the country), but the logo is as good as it gets. Backed by a P, the school took a Tasmanian Devil-esque tornado and swapped in a red devil wearing a cape and wielding a pitchfork.

9. Sultans (Bagdad)

Bagdad (Arizona) Sultans logo. / SBLive archives

Though the mascot name is somewhat of a reference to Baghdad, Iraq, the name of the town isn’t. Legend has it that a father and son operated a small-scale copper mining operation in the area in the late 1800s. The father dug out the ore and the son loaded it into bags. Hence, Bagdad.

10. Yeti (Basis)

Basis (Arizona) Yeti logo. / SBLive archives

Arizona isn’t known for its snow, but Flagstaff — home of the Basis Yeti — accumulates more of it annually than Denver. The Himalayas, however, still have it beat by much more than a shovelful.

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive | @sblivesports

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