High school football: New coaches at high schools, plus which players transferred?
Don Arax spent many years coaching the Bullard High football team.
Even before that, he spent some time at Kerman and Reedley.
Now Arax takes over for Mason Hughes at Central Valley Christian, hoping to continue the success that sent the Cavaliers to a state title win last season.
“I’m having a really good time,” Arax said. “Good bunch of kids, nice group of coaches and a really good community. I landed in a really good spot.”
Arax was let go at Bullard two seasons ago.
Fresno Unified School District gave no reason why he was let go.
Hughes coached CVC to a D 2-A state title this past season with a 45-42 victory over Los Gatos.
Bullard was off to a 1-4 start when Arax was released.
Section historian Bob Barnett said Arax has a 178-128-1 career record in his 28th year.
He led his teams seven league titles and two section titles (2009 and 2021).
While Arax doesn’t have star running back Bryson Donelson who is now at Fresno State, he feels the Cavaliers still have a good mixture of experience and athleticism.
He admits, he is still “learning things on the run right now.”
He’ll quickly find out how his team fares when The Bee’s ninth-ranked CVC visits No 4 Clovis High on Friday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
“It’s a tough deal to take over,” he said. “You’re talking about the greatest season in school history and the state championship. Mason did a great job. Luckly, we were left with some pretty good players.”
Other new faces this season: Marcus Alonzo (Lindsay), Jerald Campbell IV (Lemoore), Mitchell Francis (Selma), Louis Franklin (Bullard), Johnny Sears Jr. (Edison), Ruben Ruiz (Exeter), Rich Tuman (San Joaquin Memorial)
Players transfer to new schools
There is so much maneuvering in college football with players entering the transfer portal.
Players move on to their next destination in hopes of finding success or adding to their resume of continuing what they built at their last school.
In high school football, there are no transfer portals.
But transferring to another school seems to be the norm.
Players will have to go through a transfer eligibility in hopes of being granted, which is decided by the Central Section Office.
Here are some of the players that transferred to another school.
Bullard
Tyler Franklin, Clovis West
Davion Potts, Washington Union
Tyrin Pree, Sunnyside
Central
Marcus Watkins, Washington Union
Clovis
Lolo Clark, San Joaquin Memorial
Dezjour Malone, Edison
James Rose, Edison
Carlos Young, Sanger
Clovis East
Tyson Cook, Central
Tamell Horton, Edison
Shondrick Smallwood, Central
Oshea Webb, Edison
Clovis North
Tyree Sams, Edison
Dos Palos
Earl Riley, Central
San Joaquin Memorial
David Bell, Central
Josh Razo, Clovis East
Jacob Razo, Clovis East
Washington Union
Rashad Perry, Edison
This story was originally published August 22, 2024 at 4:54 PM.
