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Much like Charlie Dotson, Manzano's Aaron Ocampo was fated to be a coach.

It was and is, after all, the family business.

Ocampo's father, Al, ran a New Mexico football travelogue, taking his family on coaching stops at Fort Wingate, Shiprock, Gadsden, Grants, Socorro and Silver City.

"I don't remember thinking it was tough," says Aaron Ocampo. "Whenever we did it (moved) it was exciting. It helped a lot with my brothers' and sisters' development. We had to start again and meet new people."

Clearly, it rubbed off. Aaron's brother Damien is the head coach at Socorro, and brother Simon is the head coach at Gila Ridge High in Yuma, Ariz. Al continues to coach, now at Santa Cruz High in Eloy, Ariz.

The Ocampo sense of adventure has seemed to rub off on 8-1 Manzano, which enters its showdown with rival Eldorado. The Monarchs, unlike most metro area teams, gambled this year with a two-platoon system - one Ocampo says has paid big dividends.

"We decided we were going to do it no matter the depth we had," Ocampo says. "We were fortunate. We had sophomores and some other kids that might've played JV otherwise, but we've had guys step up and play."

Manzano's offense has gotten much of the notice during the Monarchs' scalding start, but Ocampo lauds a defensive unit led by Travis Barr, Matt Raymer, Michael Burt, Jesse Paulsen and Kenny Cooper as a key to the season.

They'll be important Friday if Manzano is to stop the running of Eldorado back Logan Lippert.

"They've set the tone," Ocampo says of his defense.