Gauchos Pride: 5 Unforgettable Athletes From Casa Grande High School

Sports run deep in Petaluma, and Casa Grande High School has long been at the heart of it. It’s no surprise some standout talent once wore the Gauchos uniform. Today we're celebrating five unforgettable athletes from Casa Grande High School who made a name for themselves well beyond the hometown field.

1. Elijah Qualls – Football (NFL Super Bowl Champion)

In high school, Qualls was a dominant two-way lineman before playing at the University of Washington. He was drafted in 2017 and eventually went on to earn a Super Bowl LII ring with the Philadelphia Eagles. (Source: 247Sports)

2. Amy Gutierrez – Softball & Basketball (Professional Field Reporter)

Gutierrez played softball, basketball and volleyball while at Casa Grande, and went on to play volleyball in college. After earning her communications degree, Gutierrez became a field reporter for the San Francisco Giants. (Source: AmyGMedia)

3. Josh Akognon – Basketball (Olympian & Professional Player)

After a successful career at Casa Grande, Akognon played college basketball as a point guard, played professionally internationally and represented Nigeria at the 2016 Olympics. (Source: Patch.com)

4. Spencer Torkelson – Baseball (MLB No. 1 Draft Pick & Pro Player)

Torkelson played as an infielder and pitcher while at Casa Grande, and he continued to play baseball at Arizona State University, setting records as early as his freshman year. He was selected first overall in the 2020 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers and continues to play as the team’s first baseman. (Source: MLB.com)

5. Jonny Gomes – Baseball (World Series Champion)

A Casa Grande alum, Gomes played for 13 seasons in the MLB career across multiple teams, including the 2013 World Series-winning Boston Red Sox. (Source: baseball-reference.com)

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