Brea’s Trakh Applies for Titans’ Job

Mark Trakh, the most successful high school coach in the history of Orange County girls’ basketball, said Wednesday he has applied for the vacant women’s coaching position at Cal State Fullerton.

Trakh, 37, has guided Brea-Olinda High School to a 325-40 record in 12 seasons and three State titles in the past four seasons. But Trakh has found nothing but frustration in his pursuit of a college coaching position.

In the past three years, he has tried unsuccessfully to land jobs at Hawaii, UC Santa Barbara, San Jose State, UC Irvine and Chapman. He also applied for the Fullerton job in 1985 when Maryalyce Jeremiah was named to the position.

Jeremiah recently resigned to become the school’s associate athletic director/senior women’s administrator.

“The school is right down the road, so it’s an attractive position,” Trakh said. “I think I could recruit very well in Orange County.”

Larry Zucker, who heads the search committee at Cal State Fullerton, compared Trakh’s position to that of Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight, who was a finalist for the men’s opening at Fullerton that was filled by UCLA assistant Brad Holland.

“We would certainly be interested in Mark Trakh based on his success at Brea, just as we were interested in Gary McKnight,” Zucker said.

Mater Dei guard Reggie Geary heads the list of selections for the Orange County team that will participate in the Santa Barbara Vacation tournament, which is scheduled June 21 at Santa Barbara City College.

Geary, who will attend Arizona in the fall, led Mater Dei to the State Division I championship game in Sacramento.

Other top players on the team include Edison forward Brandon Jessie and Estancia forward Matt Fuerbringer. Villa Park assistant Paul Hoover will coach the team.

The Gold Coast all-star team, made up of players who live in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, will be led by Buena guard Lance Faye and San Marcos center Rob Ramaker. Faye was the section’s leading scorer this season and Ramaker has signed with UC Santa Barbara. Jeff Lavender of San Marcos will coach the team.

The Orange County all-stars:

Darren Crooks (Marina), F; Jason Cunningham (Los Alamitos), F; Matt Fuerbringer (Estancia), F; Jermaine Galloway (Kennedy), C; Reggie Geary (Mater Dei), G; Brandon Jessie (Edison), F; Matt Kordik (Esperanza), F; Todd Loewe (Woodbridge), G; Jentry Moore (Tustin), F; Tobie Priest (Savanna), G and Jason Register (Saddleback), G.

Former Marina basketball Coach Steve Popovich has put his home up for sale in San Clemente and is moving his family to Aurora, Colo., where he will become the boys’ varsity basketball coach at Eagle Crest High. Popovich begins teaching and coaching in September.

“I’m going back there in two weeks to run a basketball camp,” Popovich said. “I’m hoping to get moved by midsummer. I always said I’d never leave Marina to coach at another high school, but this was a great opportunity. The school’s facilities are unreal.”

Popovich said that Eagle Crest, a three-year-old school, was built at a cost of $37 million and has 1,850 students. It’s projected to grow to 2,800 students.