Florence became a two-high school district a couple years ago and once Poston Butte High came alongside Florence High, a father-son combination has done the football coaching. So far George De La Torre and son, Mike, have reeled off lots of victories and brought more than just winning football to the area.

"They are both great people," former Chandler High coach Jim Ewan said. " The kind of people you'd want to have coaching. I've known George for a long time. Longer than there's been a Mike. It's no surprise to me their schools are doing well."

George De La Torre took over at Florence in 2008 after guiding South Mountain three seasons (three playoff berths and a 19-16 record over that span). The 2007 season saw the Jaguars reach the 5A-II semifinals

He retired after the 2007 season. Two monts later he unretired, taking over at Florence. His first year there was a tough one  -- 1-9. The last two have yielded 3A semifinal berths with 8- and 11-wins campaigns. The start of 2011 has been a solid 2-1. The Gophers lone defeat thus far coming to last year's 3A champ Show Low, 23-13.

"We were going to do things a certain way when I started there (Florence)," George De La Torre said. "A certain structure. We  had to have people get used to our way, and ended up with only one senior. We won one game, but we got things established the way we wanted to do them."

The elder De La Torre coached under the likes of Dan Dunn (Gilbert), Jerry Loper (Westwood) and Jim Jones (Red Mountain) to name a few. Along for the ride as a tyke through playing in high school himself was MIke, who frequented practices at most of his dad's coaching stops. Mike played for Jones at Red Mountain (1992-94).

But Mike De La Torre didn't always have his sights set on coaching, despite being around the game virtually non-stop. It didn't take long for all those days spent on football through high school to take hold in college.

"My freshman year in college I was planning on being a psychologist," Mike De La Torre said. "Playing football (at Western New Mexico) I just decided after the first year to get a degree in education. Teaching and coaching wasn't something I was set on doing growing up. It just worked out that way.....

"I watched my dad a lot. Saw how the old-timers did it. Dan Dunn, Jim Ewan, Jerry Loper and Jim Jones. I had a lot of good coaches to learn from."

Mike De La Torre got to assist his dad in 2008 at Florence after a seven-year stint at Chandler under Richard Gray and Ewan. Got exposed to the players at Florence and the area. That served him well the next year when he was named coach at Poston Butte. Some of the players at Florence High in 2008 came over to Poston Butte as new boundaries were established.

Poston Butte is 3-0 this season -- its first competing for an AIA championship. The Broncos were 7-3 playing an independent slate last year. Their biggest win to date came last weekend and was spread over two days because of weather. It was a 48-39 win over Higley, a playoff team from last year in the Broncos'  Division (III) this year.

Jim Jones, now an assistant at San Tan Foothills, thought it feasible Mike might some day follow in dad's footsteps.

"I don't remember it being talked about," Jones said of Mike definitely becoming a coach. "You could tell though that it was in his blood. When he played at Red Mountain he was like a coach on the field. He had a way with the other kids with football."

Just out of college, MIke De La Torre hooked up with Gray and Ewan and coached at Chandler High for seven seasons. Mike served as offensive line coach most of his time there and a couple years as defensive coordinator.

"I was glad Mike got the opportunity to go to Florence,"  Ewan said. "It got me off the hook. I would have had to recommend Mike and Shaun Aguano as guys to take over for me."

Taking a program and starting it from the ground up has overwhelmed Mike De La Torre to some extent. But with the school's first group of seniors in tow this year, he's feeling better about the experience.

"It's very hard," Mike De La Torre said. "In hindsight it's a ton of work. The participation thing is the hard part. Getting kids to come out, getting numbers. You do get to put your stamp on it. You get to do things the way you think they should be done."

Expectations at Poston Butte haven't changed with the team putting its hat in the ring to win a title.

"Our expectations haven't changed from the first year when we had a JV, to last year and this year," Mike De La Torre said. "Do the work in the classroom first. Do the work in the weight room,  and do the small things."

No doubt that foundation has contributed to Poston Butte seniors prevailing in 13 of 16 varsity games to date. George De La Torre believes it was inevitable Mike would be stung by the coaching bug.

"He was in a lot of locker rooms, and behind the scenes a lot," George De La Torre said. "I'm not surprised he's doing what he's doing.

"What I'm most proud of with Mike is his refreshing sense of perspective. He's not caught up with wins and losses. He made sure the infrastructure of the team was put in place. That's an emotional thing getting the kids, the parents, the admiinistration together and setting a foundation."

Like father, like son. In this case, that's wonderful.