Portales native to take over at Rio Rancho

According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Portales native Michael Worley has been offered and accepted the position of head football coach at Rio Rancho High School.

After leaving Portales, Worley served as defensive coordinator at Artesia for 12 years helping the Bulldogs win nine state championships in that period.

Worley reportedly beat out other big names for the Rio Rancho job including Manzano head coach Aaron Ocampo, Mayfield head coach Gary Bradley, Rio Rancho defensive coordinator David Howes, Las Vegas Robertson head coach Chad Roanhaus and Texico head coach Michael Prokop.

Worley will replace Phil Lopez, who coached at Rio Rancho for four years and led the Rams to their first district title in 2004 and three Class 5A playoff appearances.

This is the third time Worley has applied for the job. When the program began in 1997, Worley applied to be Rio Rancho’s first head football coach, then he applied again in 2003.

Worley has been a track coach at Mesquite High School in Gilbert, Arizona for the last two years.