Manny Palomarez confirmed Friday he is no longer the defensive coordinator at Chandler Hamilton and is looking to take a new position elsewhere.
Palomarez, a former all-state player at Chandler High, has been on staff at Hamilton since the school opened and began playing football at the varsity level in 1998. For the past five seasons he’s served as defensive coordinator — three for then-coach John Wrenn and the past two for coach Steve Belles. In his tenure at that position, the Huskies have gone 64-5, winning three state titles and finishing as runner-up once.
“They basically let me go,” Palomarez said. “It was a nice run. They wanted me to stay in the program with other duties, but I want to move on. This is Steve’s program and he wants to go in another direction. I have no problem with that. I’ve already gotten several calls and will look at positions at other places.”
Belles said Friday current assistant Lane Reynolds will become the defensive coordinator.
Belles cited “philosophical differences” as the reason Palomarez was removed from the position and added it had nothing to do with the loss to Phoenix Brophy last week in the 5A-I state semifinals — Hamilton’s first to an Arizona school since it fell to Brophy in the 2005 state title game.
