Longtime soccer coach picks up most wins in Central Section after a Clovis North win
It came full circle for Nick Pappanduros on Tuesday afternoon.
He was standing there looking over his Clovis North team as they were about to face Edison, where he started coaching.
But what was the occasion besides the reunion? He needed one win to become the Central Section leader in career wins.
His Broncos delivered in a big way, defeating the Tigers 4-0 in a nonleague girls soccer game.
He passed Janien McGowan, who coached at Stockdale, with 451 wins, according to section historian Bob Barnett.
There to celebrate the occasion was a bunch of former players.
“I didn’t even know it was happening,” he said. “It’s so surreal. Just as the game went on, all the players and former players, parents coming in, I knew something was up, and that’s kind of when I figured it out.”
Pappanduros said as the game went on he started feeling emotional because he started thinking about Edison days before coaching at Clovis North.
Little did he know, the milestone win would come against Edison.
“I’m so lucky,” he said. “The game wasn’t even on the schedule till late in the fall. (Edison athletic director David Wheeler) happened to call me. It was just unbelievable. Just a total coincidence.”
This story was originally published December 18, 2024 at 5:33 PM.
