Cordova High School Football Players and Coaches

Despite all the negativity that has been directed towards the Cordova high school football team, there are a lot of good players and good coaches that are leading the team. Read on to learn more about these players and coaches.

Gerald Willhite

During his high school career, Gerald Willhite rushed for over 5,000 yards and 72 touchdowns, while earning Sacramento Area High School and National High School Player of the Year honors. In addition to his football accomplishments, Gerald was also a standout in track and field. He excelled in the long jump and triple jump. His speed and quickness enabled him to run up the field to score touchdowns.

After high school, Willhite went to American River College (ARC) and rushed for more than 1,000 yards each of his two seasons there. He also caught at least 50 passes each year. He also earned several accolades, including being voted second team All-Pro in 1986. He was also voted to the NFL 75th Anniversary Team.

After his two seasons at ARC, Willhite transferred to San Jose State. Willhite started at fullback in the Ducks’ last game of the season. However, Willhite had a fumble deep in Oregon territory that led to a score for the Eagles.

Larry Wolfe

During his illustrious playing career, Larry Wolfe played Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins. He also had a lengthy stint as a minor league player. In fact, he played all infield positions in his four seasons with the Twins. He also played professional baseball in Japan for a year.

For his efforts, Wolfe was named Best Hitter in the Sacramento area, as well as receiving over 100 full ride scholarship offers. His high school playing career spanned seven varsity letters, and he was an All-League Selection. In fact, his 7-1 win-loss record was the best in the area.

He was named to the Cordova High School’s All-City team, and the school was named Prep of the Week. In fact, Wolfe received the aforementioned accolades in all three sports. He also received the aforementioned varsity letters for the football, basketball, and baseball games he played. He also received an Associate’s degree in Fire Science from Sacramento City College.

Seneca Wallace

During his career, Seneca Wallace has played for several different professional football teams. He was a quarterback and wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and the Green Bay Packers. He also spent a couple of seasons as a receiver for the San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos and the Cincinnati Reds. He also served as a coach at the Episcopal School of Dallas and Bondurant High School in Bondurant, IA.

He also was a standout high school quarterback and basketball player at Cordova High School in Sacramento. He earned multiple honors in both sports, including honorable mention honors in both sports. Wallace was also a member of the Lancers’ team that won two games during the season.

Wallace went on to play for the Iowa State Cyclones in 2001 and 2002. In his two seasons at Iowa State, he threw for 2,804 yards and 18 touchdown passes. He also rushed for nearly 1,000 yards. He was also a major contributor in the 2005 NFC Championship Game, catching an acrobatic 28-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck.

Randy Lerch

During his junior year at Cordova High School, Randy Lerch, a left-handed pitcher, was named the state’s top high school baseball player. He led the team in wins and shutouts. Lerch was picked in the eighth round of the amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Lerch had his first Major League start for the Phillies in September 1975. He had a 3.02 ERA and was 5-2 through May 16. The team was third in the NL East and lost its first two games of the series against Los Angeles.

Lerch was called up to Philadelphia in September and was a key part of the team’s rotation. He was 7-2 in his last 15 starts. He had six quality starts in September. He pitched in two games in August, but did not have a win. Lerch did not appear in the postseason.

After the season, Lerch relocated to New Jersey. He worked in construction with Kline Construction Company, and opened a restaurant business. He also joined the Pleasantville team of the Atlantic County (New Jersey) League.

Max Miller

Having won more games than most coaches in the Sac-Joaquin Section, Max Miller is one of the most successful high school football coaches in the area. Miller is expected to be inducted into the Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame this October.

Miller started his career at Rio Americano High School, where he has coached since 1972. He has been inducted into the Cordova High School Hall of Fame in 2014. He is also in the National High School Coaches Hall of Fame. Miller has also been inducted into the Northern California Sports Association Hall of Fame. He is a member of the National Football Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Miller has also been named Rancho Cordova’s Citizen of the Year 2000. He has won over 250 career games and is expected to be inducted into the Sac-Joaquin section Hall of Fame.

Max Miller is one of the few coaches in Sacramento’s history to win over 250 games. He has also coached at Folsom High School, where he won the state title in 2010.

The Cordova High School Lancers opened their football season Friday night at Bella Vista. They were ranked 23 in the Sacramento Bee’s preseason top 25. They have a strong coaching staff made up of former Cordova Lancers. The Lancers’ biggest challenge will come in week four, when they play Rosemont Wolverines.

Coach Arellanes

Throughout the 1970s, Cordova High was the best in the nation. Jack Ramsey helped build the program, and Cordova had a 102-6-1 record during that time. The Lancers made the postseason twice, and the school was in the Sacramento area’s top five all season long.

The football team was also known for its dynasty of the 1970s. The team’s success has surrounded the school with piles of newspaper clippings. The Lancers won four Section titles and the school was crowned National High School Coach of the Year in 1979.

Coach Arellanes spent last spring and summer as an assistant coach at Baldwin Park High School. He then moved to Northview High in Covina. During the 2006-09 season, Arellanes was the head coach of the Lancers. He is credentialed in physical education, and is likely to take the open P.E. position through the remainder of the school year.

Cordova High School had its first ever soccer team, and Paul Arellanes was a member of it. He was also a cross country coach. He graduated from Cordova High School in 2003, and earned a full ride basketball scholarship to Utah State. Arellanes also competed with Lane Kiffin and Billy Volek.

Chris Bosio

Having made his name as a Major League Baseball pitcher, Chris Bosio has also held several coaching positions. In addition to his stints with the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers, he also has coached for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds and the Carolina Mudcats. During his time in the Major Leagues, Bosio won 94 games, had a 3.76 ERA, and pitched in 1190 innings. He is also credited with fine-tuning the Cubs’ pitchers.

Bosio was first drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 29th round of the 1981 MLB draft. He also was selected again in the second round by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Chris Bosio’s mother, Joan, passed away in 2010 from cancer. Bosio walked home every day to visit her and care for his younger siblings. He worked three jobs in order to pay for medical expenses. He reminisces about the days when his mother was ill. He also tells of how he helped her during her illness.