Pallares Leaves Cal State Long Beach to Attend Fullerton College

Running back Ray Pallares, who became the state’s all-time top rusher at Valencia High School, has left Cal State Long Beach and enrolled at Fullerton College.

Pallares, who graduated in 1986, was recruited by only two Division I schools--Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Long Beach. He redshirted at Long Beach last fall and will have two years of eligibility at Fullerton.

Pallares gained 5,398 yards in three seasons at Valencia, breaking former Santa Ana Valley running back Myron White’s county mark of 4,164 yards. He also broke the Southern Section record of 5,213 yards established by Craig Johnson of Whittier Christian in 1975.

But Pallares, 5-foot 11-inch, 188 pounds, was often criticized for being too slow and many discarded him as a major college prospect. Pallares declined to comment on his decision to leave Long Beach.

“He came over to see me and told me he wanted to play some football here,” said Hal Sherbeck, Fullerton coach. “He never told me why he wanted to leave Long Beach. He’s been a very good player, but he’s going to have to compete with everybody else here.”