Ryan Gaylord is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Carl Community High School for AzPreps365.com

Santino Esquivel is a senior student-athlete who will be graduating from Carl Hayden Falcon in May but he will leave behind a memorable athletic career as a Falcon.

Esquivel was a two-sport athlete at Carl Hayden, where he played all four years on the varsity basketball team. Esquivel, like many others in his class, had to overcome challenges. During his freshman year COVID-19 happened and unfortunately, he did not have an opportunity to play due to the season being canceled.

In Esquivel’s senior season, he showed the talent that he possesses but also displayed all the hard work that he put in. Esquivel finished third on the team with 12.4 points per game, third in field goal percentage, shooting 42% and third with 2.3 assists per game.

Esquivel’s hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed. Carl Hayden head basketball coach Rodney Brown knows exactly why Esquivel was successful. Brown knows how important Esquivel was to the Falcon program.

“He meant everything. He is a coach’s dream. He was the heart and soul of our team and anything that we needed Santino to do, whether that was hey this game I need defense from you, or this game I need offense from you. You know he did everything that I asked of him. He never once put his head down. Never once argued with me at all. Just always listened. Like I said I am definitely going to miss him. Everybody on this team is going to miss him, this program is going to miss him. He was our Mr. Hayden this year” Brown said.

Esquivel loves to stay involved with basketball, even when he is not playing. When Esquivel is not playing basketball, he is working and keeping score at basketball tournaments in his free time.

“The main thing that I do outside of basketball is to be with my family and try to work with basketball. I will either be with my family, going out or just at the house with them or I will keep score for basketball games,” Esquivel said.

Esquivel is a family person. He enjoys spending as much time as he can with his family.

Santino’s older brother Ricardo Esquivel is his role model. Ricardo knows his brother enjoys his family away from basketball.

“Off the court, Santino likes to hang out with his nieces and nephews. He takes care of them whenever he can. He loves playing video games. 2k, Madden, anything sports related. If he is not hanging out with his brothers, he is hanging out with his girlfriend. He will go to the mall; he will go to museums. He is very adventurous” Ricardo said.

Ricardo is also very proud of his younger brother. “Oh man, I am ultra proud of my brother and his perseverance. Coming into Carl Hayden is freshman year, COVID year, didn’t get to play a full season. He had a great sophomore year. Junior year he decided to play football and he had a very gruesome injury. It set him back, so I am just proud of his perseverance and getting back to the court. Letting him get rid of that fear of getting hurt again. That’s why I am proud of him.”

Santino Esquivel is excited for his future. He is planning to attend Mesa Community College in the Fall and being part of the Thunderbirds basketball program.

“It’s absolutely a blessing and a humble experience because not everybody gets to play at the next level,” said Santino. To know that I carry a gift of basketball that allows me to play at a certain level, it’s a big blessing.”