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