A physical, downhill rushing attack running behind a fundamentally sound offensive line has been the backbone of Donnie Arax-coached teams since he began his head coaching career in the Central Section in 1999.
In 24 years at Bullard, Arax led the Knights to a pair of Central Section championships (2009, 2021), and in his first campaign with Central Valley Christian in 2024, the Cavaliers reached the Central Section Division II championship game behind another vaunted rushing attack featuring 1,000-yard running back Micah Paden.
His 2009 Bullard squad went undefeated, going 13-0, and captured the Central Section Division I crown.
Arax’s best teams, in the past, usually had a formidable ground-and-pound game that was capable of earning the tough yards when they needed a first down or punching the ball into the end zone.
That style of play has led Arax, according to Central Section historian Bob Barnett, to an overall head-coaching record of 191-140-1 with additional stops at Kerman and Reedley.
In 2026, Arax has three proven running backs who are all a year older, stronger, and faster, which should help elevate CVC back to its section dominance when the Cavaliers advanced to the section title game in seven straight seasons from 2017-2024 (section championships were not played during the 2020-21 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Cavaliers senior running backs Ja’khari Burrell, Shondel Hogan, and Josh Hilvers combined for nearly 1,700 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns last season. The Cavaliers won five games, including a Division II playoff victory over Lompoc and a Tri-County Conference-Kings Canyon crown.
“In all those years at the other schools, every year, we had a great running back,” Arax said. “Out of 24 years, at least 22 of them, we had a great running back. This group, having three, is rare to have. I don’t remember having three guys like this.”
Burrell, who has a scholarship offer from Eastern Washington, led the way in 2025 with 930 yards rushing in a breakout junior season.
Hogan — a 6-1, 170-pound speedster — ran for 535 yards and five touchdowns in eight games that same season. Hilvers added 232 yards and two scores after breaking out for 481 yards rushing as a sophomore in 2024.
Hilvers is 5-11 and 200 pounds.
How good are CVC’s running backs?
“These guys, they could play in the TRAC,” said Arax, referring to traditionally the top overall league in the Central Section that featured the Clovis schools and Central East. “In this era, you need at least two very good running backs. To have three, it puts a little stress on you because you’re trying to spread the ball out. It’s a nice situation to be in, but keeping everyone happy is a little bit of a tough thing. But our kids, those three guys, a tribute to them is, they’re competing, but they’re very good teammates.”
In the offseason, the 5-foot-11 Burrell bulked up to 217 pounds. He averaged 6.6 yards rushing last season.
“With all those good running backs I’ve coached in the past, I’ve never had a body like that,” Arax said. “He’s a big dude, man.
Burrell, along with Joe Peters, is one of two CVC players in the 1,000-pound club, which combines the weights of squats, bench and power clean. Nine other players are in the 900-pound club.
What’s it like to see that commitment to the weight room?
“Man, it feels good, knowing that me and all of my guys just love to work and compete against each other,” Burrell said. “It’s an ‘Iron sharpens iron’ sort of thing.”
Burrell’s max squat entering this season is 505 pounds. He currently benches 315 and can power clean 260 pounds.
A between-the-tackles type of player, Burrell has earned the nickname “Knuckles” by his teammates for his bruising style of play.
Hogan, who has breakaway speed, is “Sonic.”
In CVC’s final game last season, a narrow 31-28 playoff loss to eventual Division II section finalist Bakersfield, “Sonic and Knuckles” combined for 180 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Hogan ran for 86 yards. Burrell registered 94 yards rushing and a touchdown.
“Me and Ja’khari, we have a good connection,” said Hogan, a Bullard transfer. “We figured out, if I’m doing good, we want to keep that momentum going. If I’m not, we can get Ja’khari in there and tune us up.”
And when that duo isn’t carrying the rock, the ball will likely go to Hilvers.
Hilvers, the veteran of the backfield, helped both Burrell and Hogan acclimate to the private school culture when they transferred to CVC last year. Burrell was formerly at Mission Oak.
“Josh, he’s a great running back for us,” Hogan said. “He comes in with speed and power as well. He’s like both of us combined.”
Projected starting lineup
Offense
Defense
Special teams
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: ‘Sonic and Knuckles’ lead Central Valley Christian football backfield
Reporting by Vongni Yang, Visalia Times-Delta / Visalia Times-Delta
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Vongni Yang, Visalia Times-Delta | USA TODAY Network
