Episode 28 - Gunner Cortez

Pressure makes diamonds, and Gunner is proof of that. After fighting for everything, he made the difficult choice to move to Virgin Valley and start over. That move became the turning point in his journey. While Gunner had already proven himself on the wrestling mat, it was his football career that truly began to take off.

In Mesquite, he earned the QB1 job and went on to finish his high school career as a 2x All-Conference quarterback, leading Virgin Valley to two playoff appearances. On the mat, he built an even greater legacy: 3x State Champion and 3x Regional Champion (with Covid stripping the chance to be a 4-timer). Gunner chose to pursue football at the next level, and today, he’s playing Division I football at Utah Tech. A true small-town hero, Gunner continues to inspire—proving that with grit and belief, it can be done.