Arizona high school tabs inspiring coach to lead program

According to a report by the Arizona Republic, Wickenburg defensive coordinator Carter Crosland, a football coach who was born without arms or legs, has been tabbed as the Wranglers’ interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 high school football season.

Crosland replaces first-year head coach Jay Nunez, who per the report was removed for reasons not specified by the school. Nunez was an assistant at Tonopah Valley before taking the head coaching job at Wickenburg.

“It means a lot ot be able to lead these young people,” Crosland said to the Arizona Republic. “This is my fourth season here, so I’ve been with these seniors since they were freshmen. My goals are to continue working hard, keeping the team together, and getting better each day. We’re an incredibly young squad this year, but the pieces are here to be really good in a year or two.”

The Wranglers are currently 0-4 on the season and take on Dysart, which also has yet to win a game this season. Wickenburg is off to a rough four-game start to the season in which the Wranglers have been out-scored 214-13 just before the midway point.

Crosland takes over a Wickenburg program that isn’t far removed from success whatsoever as the Wranglers finished with a more than respectable 7-4 record in 2024. The Wranglers had reached the AIA’s Class 3A playoffs before losing toe Florence, 21-7.

Wickenburg has a chance in the second half of the season to turn things around under Crosland, with the Wranglers being favored or should closely contest a couple of games, according to the Massey Ratings.

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