Prep notes: Former Ripon coach Johnson joins Sierra High faculty

Six months after stepping down as the Ripon High football coach, Chris Johnson has left the school for another within the Stanislaus District.

Johnson has signed a contract to join the faculty at Sierra High School, vacating his administrative position at Ripon. Johnson served as the athletic director, overseeing one of the most successful small-school departments in the district.

This spring alone the Indians won Trans-Valley League titles in baseball, softball and girls soccer. The girls swim program also won the Valley Oak League crown, and sophomore Ty Wells garnered the school’s first CIF State swim medal in the 100-yard breaststroke.

The softball program captured its first Sac-Joaquin Section championship with a thrilling 8-7 victory over Linden.

Johnson stepped down as Ripon’s football coach in December after guiding the Indians to a share of the TVL title. He held that post for 12 years and amassed a career mark of 77-53 with eight postseason appearances and two league championships.

He cited a desire to spend more time with his daughters and hinted that a move away from Ripon High might be imminent.

“I’m not averse to leaving Ripon. It’s a great community, but you get to a point where you get restless,” Johnson told The Bee in December. “Call it a midlife crisis if you want, but you also want to see what’s out there for you.”

Johnson isn’t the only athletic director on the move. Golden Valley volleyball and girls basketball coach Matt Thissen has been named the athletic director at Golden Valley, while former Buhach Colony athletic director Scott Wine will take the same position at Atwater.

Western Athletic Conference soccer honors

Central Valley midfielder Evelyn Andrade was named the Most Valuable Player for the Western Athletic Conference.

Andrade had five goals and eight assists for the Hawks, who went 11-1 in conference play and reached the quarterfinal round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs.

Three other Hawks were named to the all-conference first team: Mariana Garibay, Nicole Munoz and Jocelyn Lopez. Central Valley coach Cyndi Meshach was named Coach of the Year.

Rounding out the first team were: Karina Torrez and Breanna Moreno of Ceres; Bryna Vega and Kristiana Montiel of El Capitan; Ashleigh Huerta and Miranda Alvear of Livingston; and Paulina Gonzalez and Fatima Lomas of Patterson.

Canepa bound for CCA Hall of Fame

Central Catholic football coach Roger Canepa will be inducted into the California Coaches Association Hall of Fame during a dinner ceremony on June 18. The awards banquet will take place in Fresno.

Following a successful coaching career at Sonora and Calaveras high schools, Canepa has won four consecutive CIF state championships with the Raiders.

This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Prep notes: Former Ripon coach Johnson joins Sierra High faculty."