College recognition is hard to come by for small-town athletes with dreams of competing at the highest levels.
Especially when their school is classified in the 1A division and football is played with eight players on the field instead of 11.
But one multisport athlete from Hayden High School in Winkelman – a humble mining town just off Arizona State Route 177 in the state’s southeast corner – managed to beat the odds, winning several state championships between football and baseball before earning himself a Division I football offer.
Kino Lorona is his name. It’s a name known well in the community of roughly 800 in which he was born and raised.
Many of Lorona’s supporters have known him for most of his life, and they’ve always believed he was destined for greatness.
“When he was maybe 4 or 5 years old, I watched that kid ride his bike all over town, and I used to say, ‘Man, he’s going to have some strong legs,’” said Armand Cruz, a Hayden High offensive line coach. “Seeing him grow and compete all of these years has been amazing. Eventually, he just took off. He got that ball and he never looked back.”
Lorona has won three state championships in both football and baseball, and throughout his entire high school football career, he’s only lost once – in a game where he wasn’t able to play.
Years of hard work finally paid off following Lorona’s senior football season when the 5-foot-11, 205-pound running back and linebacker officially signed with Northern Arizona University.
“It’s a big thing for us, because coming from this little town, it never really happens,” Lorona said. “Being able to get to this point, it’s definitely very exciting. But I’m also just excited to get to work. Getting here was one thing, but I want it badly, so I’m ready to get to work.”
Lorona’s trainer, Marcos Esquivel, was the one who initiated contact with NAU. He drove Lorona north to Flagstaff for a workout, and Lorona’s raw athleticism sealed the deal from there.
“(Lorona’s) everything you’d want in an athlete,” Esquivel said. “He puts his head down, works hard and doesn’t complain. NAU got a steal with him. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him have opportunities to transfer after a year or two up there.”
‘Hayden’s Home’
Lorona, a 4.0 student, plans to make the most of his opportunities at the next level, while remaining adamant about honoring his hometown.
After all, the Lorona name is synonymous with Hayden High School.
Lorona’s great grandfather, Bob, coached Hayden’s 1972 state championship football team. His grandfather, Rick, coached baseball at Hayden, his uncle, Robert, is the current baseball coach, his aunt, Lydia, is the athletic director and his dad, Jeronimo, is the football team’s current running backs coach.
At one point, Lorona considered transferring to a bigger high school to increase his chances of getting recognized by colleges. Ultimately, he decided against the move, opting to stay true to his roots no matter the cost.
“Hayden’s home,” Lorona said. “I didn’t want to just get up and leave. The community has been with me since I was little so there’s no better place to be.”
With a total enrollment of just under 90 students, Hayden High makes up for its lack of size with a dedicated community that overflows with hometown passion and pride.
As far as Lorona is concerned, his decision to stick around has paid dividends ever since.
“As soon as he told everybody that he was committing to NAU, it was instant,” Jeronimo Lorona said. “They started pulling up NAU’s 2026 football schedule, and one of his cousins was talking about getting a six-month lease on an apartment up there. I had to tell them to calm down, but that’s just how proud everyone is of him.”
Unity through adversity
The community’s love isn’t exclusive to Lorona.
The day of Hayden High’s most recent 1A title football game, assistant football coach Cruz answered a long-awaited phone call; the hospital had received the donor lungs he’d been hoping for after a decade-long battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis-Interstitial Lung Disease (RA-ILD).
Cruz underwent a double lung transplant a few hours after Hayden took home its third consecutive championship football trophy with a 66-20 win over Bagdad, and as soon as visiting hours became available, his small-town clan didn’t hesitate to show up.
“Everybody comes together when it’s time to come together,” Cruz said. “In my position when I got sick, I knew I’d get help from the community, because that’s what we do. Whenever someone is in need, everybody steps up to help out.”
No place like home
The quaint community is all about supporting one another, and nowhere is that more true than at Hayden High. Every game and event draws a crowd, no matter the location or time.
“If you ever attend one of Hayden’s games, home or away, you’re going to see the support that’s there and the love from the community,” said Hayden football coach John Estrada. “The support for the kids and everyone just wanting them to be successful, it’s amazing. I really don’t know if there’s any other place like it.”
Estrada is another of many lifelong faithfuls to the area. After graduating from Hayden in 1981, he eventually returned to the school and has been at the helm of the Lobos’ football program for 16 years.
As a boy, Estrada attended Hayden’s 1972 championship football game with his father, Joe, a fellow Hayden alum. Fifty one years later, Estrada coached the Lobos to their next title and an eventual three-peat.
Estrada dedicated Hayden’s 2023 championship game and awarded the game ball to his 83-year-old father who cheered from the sidelines once again.
“That was a precious moment for me,” Estrada said. “The support my dad’s given me has been unbelievable. Whether we have a good game or a bad game, he’s my biggest fan and my biggest critic. I’m glad he got to see us win another one.”
Lobos for life
Pamela Gonzalez, the principal at Hayden, is well aware of the history layered throughout the school’s 90 years of existence.
While many things have changed, some have held true – like the mixture of passion and unity that has fueled Hayden for nearly a century.
“There’s a lot of pride and tradition in our community,” Gonzalez said. “What makes it special is that it truly is a local family. The community is family and we support each other in triumphs and tragedies. We know that we can do anything as long as we work hard and support each other.”
For longtime locals, emotions and nostalgia fill Hayden’s halls. For current students, the small school offers a foundation for the future – one that’s filled with hope for people like Lorona, who strive to honor the community’s fierce pride.
“I would tell (Lorona) not to change,” Gonzalez said. “Stay humble, keep working hard and I’d tell him that he’ll always have his community behind him. We will continue to follow him and support his accomplishments and we’ll always be there to support him wherever his future takes him.”
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