Football coach search continues

The search for a new Socorro head football coach continues as the top prospect rejected the school district’s offers.

The out-of-state coach would not have had an available teaching job, Socorro Superintendent Joyce Gormley said.

“We tried our best to work with him but we just could not come to an agreement,” she said.

The prospective coach was not named.

The district is now reaching out to its No. 2 candidate, Gormley said. If there is no success there, the search will be re-opened.

Longtime Warriors coach Damien Ocampo resigned Feb. 17. During two different stints as coach, Ocampo served for 12 years, twice leading the Warriors to state championships games.

Ocampo compiled a 114-40 record as the team’s coach and his career included seven district championships.

The Warriors lost the 2009 title game to Lovington and came up short in 2019 to Hope Christian. Socorro was 8-3 last season, losing to New Mexico Military Institute in the quarterfinals of the 3A playoffs.