Mark Takkinen, a five-year assistant coach at...

Mark Takkinen, a five-year assistant coach at University High School, has been named varsity football coach at Sonora.

Takkinen was Mark Cunningham’s offensive coordinator at University and also was an assistant baseball coach. He was an assistant football coach under Bill Workman at Edison from 1980-83 before moving to University.

Takkinen, who replaced Terry Cox, inherits a struggling program at Sonora. The Raiders have won only five games in the past four seasons. Sonora improved to 3-7 last fall but had five potential starters quit before the season.

Takkinen was selected among 15 applicants, according to Greg Bice, Fullerton Union High School District personnel director. He becomes the school’s third football coach in the past four years.