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Thursday, August 21, 2008

Monarchs Ready for Season

By Harold Smith
Mountain View Telegraph
          You never know what life will throw at you.
        Seth Maisano, a 17-year-old Tijeras resident, was an up-and-coming receiver and backup quarterback for the Manzano High football team last year. He appeared to be in the running to start at QB this fall.
        But that possibility went out the window when Maisano injured his right knee in the last game of the 2007 season. He tore his anterior, medial and posterior cruciate ligaments, and he underwent surgery in December.
        "He's still in the recovery stage with his knee," eighth-year Monarch coach Aaron Ocampo said. "He probably won't start at quarterback. I think he'll play some at receiver. He's 60 (percent) to 70 percent of what he was. But he'll get better."
        "It was tough during rehab," said Maisano, who hurt the knee during the third quarter of his team's 50-45 state Class 5A quarterfinal loss to Las Cruces High at the Field of Dreams on Nov. 24. "It's still not strong, but it's getting there. I just hope I get to start somewhere."
        Maisano, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound senior, will gut it out.
        "He's such a good kid," Ocampo said. "He has such a great attitude."
        Junior Tyler Krueger (6-2, 165 pounds) is the probable starter at quarterback.
        Manzano lost some key players to graduation, including quarterback Matt Dalzell, and all-stars Jeremy Lasusky, Matt Raymer and Jesse Paulsen. The latter two live in Sandia Park.
        The team was 9-3, 3-1 in District 5-5A in 2007. The Monarchs were the district runners-up behind Eldorado.
        "Actually, we have more seniors this year," Ocampo said. "We have 18 seniors, and a lot of them live in the East Mountains."
        Besides Maisano, Ocampo said, the returning 12th-grade starters are Nick Linden, Luke Jaramillo, Michael Long and Andrew Gilmore.
        Linden — he's fresh off a sixth-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 6 1/2 inches at the state meet in May — is a 5-8, 148-pound receiver, punter and kicker. He lives in Tijeras.
        "It's not a personal, individual thing with football," Linden said after practice Aug. 14. "There's glory for everyone. Of course, I like track, too."
        A bigger, stronger Jaramillo is a 5-9, 185-pound offensive lineman and running back. He also lives in Tijeras.
        "We've just got to come together and have heart," Jaramillo said.
        Long of Sandia Park is Manzano's 5-9, 220-pound center.
        Carnuel's Jordan Llamas will bear the brunt of the ball toting duties.
        "And then we've got Kevin Reaves, who'll play at H-back," Ocampo said. "And Luke Jaramillo will carry the ball some."
        Llamas is a 6-1, 185-pound junior.
        "I think we're going to be pretty good," he said. "We're a little young, but after we get the little stuff fixed, we'll be a pretty good team."
        Other Monarchs who hail from the mountains include:
        Kyle Conner, a 5-10, 145-pound senior wide receiver and safety from Sandia Park. "I think it's going to be a good year, if we have a good turnout, and if we find a bond," he said.
        Danny Gutierrez, a 5-8, 140-pound senior cornerback from Tijeras. "You want to give it all you have," he said.
        Sean Durick, a 6-foot, 190-pound junior defensive end from Tijeras.
        Josh Kitting, a 5-10, 160-pound junior linebacker from Tijeras.
        Justin Kitting, a 5-10, 140-pound junior wide receiver and quarterback. He's Josh's brother.
        Chris Salem, a 5-9, 195-pound junior offensive lineman from Sandia Park. He said snowboarding is his other sport.
        "Obviously, you'll change some a little bit with different players, but we've kind of got our system," Ocampo said. "It's a system that we believe in."
        Manzano remains in District 5-5A.
        "I do think Eldorado has a lot of good returners," the coach said. "But I think we should be in the thick of things. Our nonconference (nondistrict) schedule is tough. It will get us ready for district."
        The Monarchs' first game will be against West Mesa in an Albuquerque Public Schools' East-West Clash at Wilson Stadium on Aug. 28. Manzano's homecoming game is scheduled for Sept. 19 against Albuquerque High, also at Wilson.