The Star is counting down the top high school football players in Southern Arizona. Up today: Amphitheater running back Kiko Trejo.
Name: Kiko Trejo
Rundown: Trejo is a 5-foot-7, 170-pound senior at Amphitheater.
Who he is: When Trejo was a newborn baby, his 2-year-old sister couldn’t pronounce his first name, which is Francisco.
“Kiko” was the only name she could say no matter how many times she tried. That’s when the legend of Kiko Trejo was created.
Trejo grew up down the street from Amphi and would often roam the sidelines as a youngster on Friday nights to watch his other family members play for the Panthers, with aspirations of becoming the next star at his nearby high school.
“He always said, ‘Coach, wait until I get here, wait until I get here,’’’ said Amphi head coach Jorge Mendivil.
Trejo hails from a tight-knit family circle, but also dealt with tough circumstances regarding his biological parents.
Trejo’s biological father is former Arizona Wildcat Leo Mills, who died at 40 last August. Recruited by late coaching legend Dick Tomey, Mills was a five-star prospect from Humble, Texas, and played for the Wildcats from 1999-2001. During his time at the UA, Mills rushed for 905 yards and six touchdowns in 29 games. Mills and Trejo were estranged, but heard stories about his father from ex-Wildcat great Kelvin Eafon.
“He would always tell me how much I look like him, and that if I ever needed training for football, he’d help me out,” Trejo said of Eafon.
“I really didn’t get a chance to talk to my father or get to know him. It was weird, but it was hard, because it was a person that I really wanted to meet, because those are my genes.”
"He’s got that Derrick Henry stiff-arm. … He doesn’t try to run out of bounds," said Amphi coach Jorge Mendivil of Kiko Trejo, right.
Trejo’s mother was in and out of prison and eventually lost custody of her children, leaving Trejo and his siblings to be raised by his grandparents, Henry and Luvena Trejo.
“He’s a great person and is well-grounded because of his grandfather,” Mendivil said. “His grandparents raised him and the other two kids as well. He’s had some tough times growing up and I’m sure it bugged him at first. But at the same time, it all came full circle after his father had passed, and it made him realize that it’s more than just football.”
But the football field was Trejo’s safe haven and a place he felt at peace ever since he first put on pads as a seventh-grader.
As a freshman at Amphi, Trejo’s crutch as a running back was utilizing his speed to constantly seek the sideline to have a better angle to break away for huge gains or even touchdowns, which can handicap a player once they reach the varsity level. Teaching Trejo to read defenses, his offensive lineman and be patient with runs was paramount for his development, which Mendivil says he’s improved “leaps and bounds” since his first day.
“He always wanted to get the ball, take it outside and use his speed, but since that point, the evolution of Kiko is he’s more patient, more comfortable, his work ethic has improved by leaps and bounds — not only on the field, but in the classroom as well,” Mendivil said. “He gets up at 5 a.m. to work out, goes to school and then has time to do homework, because he wants to get to the next level.”
As a two-year starter, Trejo has rushed for a combined 1,085 yards and nine touchdowns. In the truncated 2020 season, in which Amphi played only four games, Trejo amassed 479 yards and six touchdowns. His top performance was a 210-yard, three-touchdown outing against Flowing Wells. The Panthers open up the season against the Caballeros at home this Thursday night at 7.
While junior seasons are essential for college recruitment, Trejo was pleased with the film he produced in the month he played.
“I balled out in those four games and did as much as I could,” Trejo said. “Those games showed we’re capable of going undefeated, and now I’m just going to make the most out of my senior season.”
“At the same time, I balled out in those four games and did as much as I could. Those games showed we’re capable of going undefeated, and now I’m just going to make the most out of my senior season.”
Now a senior, Trejo hopes to become another Tucson great to play running back, after watching studs like Bijan Robinson (Texas) and Stevie Rocker (Arizona) over the last few years.
“Seeing guys like that motivated and pushed me,” Trejo said. “It showed me that people are making it to that level, so you can’t waste your talent regardless of where you’re at.”
Proof he’s good: According to Mendivil, Trejo can run the 40-yard dash in an eye-popping 4.48 seconds.
“Once he turns the jets on, he’s tough to stop,” Mendivil said.
But make no mistake, Trejo isn’t afraid to get physical running the ball.
“He’s got a stiff-arm that’s strong for a kid his size and as compact as he is. He loves to use that stiff arm. He’s like a beast in a little body,” Mendivil said. “He’s got a mean streak. He’s always looking for contact and he’s never scared. He’s got that Derrick Henry stiff-arm. … He doesn’t try to run out of bounds. Even though his stature tells you, ‘Hey, this guy is going to run out of bounds,’ he’s not. He’s going to attack you back inside, and he’s just an absolute grinder, man.”
Trejo emulates his game after New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley.
“Watching him was crazy, because he was the type to break a bunch of tackles and then break off for a bunch of yards. … I’m trying to get big ol’ legs like him, too,” he said.
Trejo also has college offers from Arizona Christian University, an NAIA school in Glendale, and Allegheny College, a Division II program in Pennsylvania.
He said it: “Last year, you started to see the patience and hard work start to pay off. He became more coachable and wanted to learn more and more about the offense. He wanted to be more than just a running back. He became a real good blocker for us, which allowed (Isaiah) Hill to have a great year. Kiko’s pass-catching ability improved, and on defense, if he really commits himself, he’s one of the top cornerbacks in the state, too.” — Mendivil
