Aptos, Ca – Former Madera High School and State Coach of the Year Randy Blankenship landed on his feet in the sandy beach town of Aptos, near Santa Cruz. Blankenship, who was forced out of Madera High last year by Athletic Director Shane Riddle after six seasons with the Coyotes, will begin his 36 year of coaching for the Aptos High School Mariners.

Blankenship (56), a 202 game winning coach, will be hired as a full time physical education teacher this fall and plans to meet with his new players Monday night at the school. Blankenship said the Mariners, who ran a Fly-based offense, will run the Wing-T next season.

Aptos High athletics director Mark Dorfman said he is very excited to get a coach of Blankenship caliber at Aptos High School. Blankenship told Dorfman he'd like to coach another six to ten years.

Blankenship told BVN he is very fortunate and excited by the new position. “I’m happy to be working with the kids again. This just shows you when the Lord closes a door he opens a window. This is one very big window.” Blankenship added.

He coached at Nevada Union for seven years, Clovis West for eight years, Fallbrook for two years, Granbury, Texas for one year and Capistrano Valley for one year. Many of his players have continued their football careers in the NCAA and five have played in the NFL.

Blankenship was the NFL High School Coach of the Year [2000], the Southern California Coach of the Year [2000], the Northern California Coach of the Year [1993], Valley Coach of the Year [1992 and '93] and the North-South All-Star Game Coach [1998 and 2006].

Madera High Athletic Director Shane Riddle was once a freshman baseball and football coach.