Vote for best high school mascot in America, Round 1: Yuma Criminals vs. Farson-Eden Pronghorns

Yuma (Arizona) is the 8 seed and Farson-Eden (Wyoming) is the 9 seed in the West region

The bracket is set for SBLive Sports' 2024 NCAA Tournament-style contest to determine the best high school mascot in America, and Round 1 is underway.

Vote below for the No. 8-seeded Yuma Criminals (Arizona) or the No. 9-seeded Farson-Eden Pronghorns (Wyoming) to advance to the second round, where the winner will face either the Oakville Acorns (Washington) or Somers Tuskers (New York).

The Criminals earned an 8 seed by winning last fall's Arizona contest with 39 votes, while the Pronghorns won Wyoming with 38 votes to earn a 9 seed.

Follow along: National Mascot Tournament 2024 Bracket

Voting for this matchup will conclude Thursday, March 21, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.

8. Yuma Criminals (Arizona)

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.” 

9. Farson-Eden Pronghorns (Wyoming)

Pronghorns are the fastest land mammal in North America and second-fastest in the world after the cheetah. And most of them live in Wyoming, which begs the question: Why are these the only Pronghorns in the nation among high schools? Kudos to Farson-Eden for its speedy choice, and for designing a fantastic Pronghorn logo. 

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports