Shay Moloney is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Mesa High School for AZPreps365.com

The special teams unit in football is often overlooked and underappreciated when poring over rosters, box scores, and game recaps. In the case of Mesa football’s "Money Squad," however, special teams are hard to forget. 

As the Jackrabbits’ regular season nears its end and playoff talk heats up, a consistent force has emerged in the form of junior kicker Evan Romero. Field goals and extra points have been virtually automatic for Mesa this year, and at the high school level, that’s an invaluable luxury. 

But Romero would be the first to tell you he’s not a one-man crew. Long snapper Adam Diaz and holder Kyler Moore join Romero to create what’s been an impressive special teams group, almost as impressive as its name, "Money Squad." 

Romero, with a missed kick total you can count on one hand, is a natural soccer player. It wasn’t until he got to high school that Mesa’s soccer coach, T.J. Hagen, suggested that Romero try kicking for the football team. It was an instant match, and now Romero could be destined for a collegiate roster spot. It wasn’t just his rocket leg that Hagen identified, but his mentality and drive as well. 

“He’s one of those kids that works hard and wants to be successful,” Hagen said when asked about what’s been behind Romero’s seamless transition to a new sport. Hagen also thinks Romero’s experience as a dual-sport athlete has helped him on the soccer pitch. 

“He already had the skill, but now the leadership on and off the field is there,” Hagen said about the impact football has had on Romero’s soccer game. 

For the other two members of the Money Squad, the sport of football has been an integral part of their upbringing. 

“At a young age, my dad got me into it. Football’s always been my sport,” Moore said on his initiation to the gridiron. The Mesa holder also credited Romero, Diaz, and the rest of his teammates for saving his love of the game. Moore had reached the point of not wanting to play football anymore before transferring to Mesa and finding a new beginning. 

“As soon as I transferred, these guys surrounding me brought my love back,” Moore said. 

“I’ve been playing football since I was 5,” Diaz said about his early introduction to the sport. 

Romero might be the one with the eye-popping kicking stats, but Diaz recently received some notable recognition himself. After an impressive showing at a camp in Tennessee, he became a nationally ranked long snapper in his junior class. 

With all three Money Squad members having an essential job on every kick, the chemistry they’ve built is crucial in dealing with the pressure. 

“Off the field we’re great friends. I have so much confidence in my guys that I don’t get nervous,” Romero said of his friendship and bond with Diaz and Moore. 

Romero also made sure to mention the squad’s appreciation for the coaching staff trusting them in big games. 

It’s safe to say Mesa’s head football coach, Chad DeGrenier, has been rewarded for that confidence.

“It’s critical. Being able to score in critical points and keep the game close in high school is huge,” DeGrenier said after Mesa’s game against Casteel, which saw Romero and company nail all five of their kick attempts. 

Those kinds of performances week in and week out have given Romero the confidence to peg the Money Squad as “the best in the state.” 

With its tremendous success on the field this season, and the hours of hard work the players put in off it, it’s definitely hard to argue that the Money Squad is, indeed, the best in the state.