Foothill Running Back Transfers to Anaheim : Mountain Rejoins Mullen for Senior Year

Running back Johnny Mountain, who has rushed for 1,880 yards the past two seasons at Foothill High School, has transferred to Anaheim High, where he will be eligible to play his senior season.

Mountain, a 6-foot 200-pound junior tailback, transferred to Anaheim on Monday, according to Anaheim Coach Ted Mullen. His family established residency within the Anaheim boundaries.

Mountain was dismissed from the Foothill team two months ago, according to Foothill Coach Jerry Howell.

“Johnny and I sat down after the season and had a talk,” Howell said. “He didn’t want to follow the rules, so I dismissed him from the team. I haven’t talked to him in a couple of months, but I know he’s left school.”

Mountain will be reunited with Mullen, who left Foothill after the 1986 season and led Anaheim into the Central Conference championship game in 1987.

Mullen confirmed that Mountain was attending classes at Anaheim and said he is looking forward to coaching him again.

“He was a quality player then, and I see no reason why he won’t be a quality player for us this year,” he said. “We had rumors that he was coming for a couple of weeks.

“I do know that he was very up front with the Foothill people last year that he was thinking about finishing his high school days at Anaheim.”

Mountain, who could not be reached for comment, was the third-leading rusher in the county last fall with 1,226 yards in 199 carries for a 6.2 average. But the Knights failed to qualify for the Southern Conference playoffs in Howell’s first season as Mullen’s replacement.

As a sophomore, Mountain replaced injured starter John Fischbeck and rushed for 614 yards in 5 games.