Denair High’s varsity football team lost for the first time this season, falling to Amador 28-20 in the Coyotes’ final non-conference football game.

“Amador is a pretty physical team,” said DHS head coach Anthony Armas. “We were missing four starters this week, and our young men really rallied the troops. We really took on a ‘next-man-up’ mentality and played well.

“Even with the loss, I think we improved as a team. We scheduled Amador because we wanted to face a school that is bigger and one that plays a more physical brand of football. We believe that makes us better for league play and, hopefully, for a playoff run.”

Denair fell behind 7-0 in the first quarter but quickly tied the score on Connor Hart’s 24-yard scoring jaunt, then took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter after Noah Chavez capped a 92-yard drive with his 6-yard touchdown run.

The Coyotes fumbled the kickoff to start the second half, and the Buffaloes capitalized for a 21-14 advantage. Amador stretched the lead to 28-14 in the fourth quarter before Denair cut the margin to 28-20 on Chavez’s 86-yard TD run.

Individually for the Coyotes, Chavez carried the ball 11 times for 140 yards and two scores, while Hart amassed 125 yards and one TD on 16 carries. Quarterback Derek Potter completed 7 of 15 tosses for 134 yards, with three of those completions going to Harlan Brown (80 yards).

“Amador came out running the option (offense), which they didn’t do last year,” said Armas. “There are still some things we need to work on, as we do every season at this time of year, but we were really pleased with the effort of our team Friday night.”

After a bye this week, the Coyotes will open Southern League play on Sept. 25 in Atwater against Stone Ridge Christian (2-1), which tied with Denair and Mariposa for the SL crown last season. 

The Knights, after a 23-22 road loss to Pacheco (Los Banos) to start the season, have notched wins against Yosemite (44-40) and 2024 state champ Summerville (35-27).

The Denair Unified School District Board of Trustees heard a presentation Thursday night regarding financing options for the next phase of Measure Z campus improvement projects.

Daisy Swearingen, DUSD’s Chief Business Official, and Khush Gheyara, of CFW Advisory Services, provided historical perspective on the bond measure, updates on completed and upcoming projects, and a look at future bond-issuance options.

Two years ago, Denair voters approved Measure Z, which authorized $34.3 million in general obligation bonds for campus improvements. The district issued its first series of those bonds in December 2024, generating $12.8 million to launch the first series of projects. The centerpiece of Phase 1 was the Denair Elementary Charter Academy cafeteria and gymnasium project, which transformed the west side of the existing gym into a modernized kitchen and multipurpose cafeteria. The new kitchen was ready to use on Day 1 of the 2026-27 school year.

Now, as the district prepares to move into Phase 2, trustees must address the next steps in the financing process even before the projects can go out to bid. Phase 2 calls for construction of two new classroom wings, along with the conversion of the school’s old cafeteria into administrative offices and a library.

It is estimated that the district could issue approximately $7 million at this time,

subject to favorable market forces. Gheyara presented the trustees with four options:

• Delay the bond issuance process until 2027
• Begin preparing for a bond issuance now, which could close as early as December but could be halted if market conditions falter
• Issue a Bond Anticipation Note, a short-term financing option that would be repaid through a future bond issuance; although not recommended, it was presented as one of the available financing alternatives.
• Take no action at this time

“In order to maintain momentum on the next phase of the project, we need to begin the process of securing additional funding,” said Swearingen. “Starting the bond issuance process does not obligate the district to complete the issuance if market conditions become unfavorable. Likewise, once funding is secured and the project goes out to bid, the district is not obligated to move forward if the bids come back higher than anticipated.”

The bond-issuance matter will be addressed again at the next Board of Trustees meeting, scheduled for Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.

Also on Thursday, the board unanimously accepted the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee’s 2024-25 annual report. The written report was developed following recommendations included in the 2025-26 Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury report.

The CBOC oversees how the district spends Measure K and Measure Z bond proceeds. Following the Grand Jury review, the district has taken steps to strengthen the committee’s reporting and transparency, including completing a written annual report, improving access to CBOC information on the district website, and continuing efforts to recruit additional community members to serve on the committee.

The trustees welcomed and swore-in Anthony Zavala as the 2026-27 student board member. Zavala, who has attended Denair schools since he was in preschool, replaces the graduated Dakota Shaw.

Courtney Thornhill was one of the most successful softball players in the history of Hughson High School. 

The 2015 graduated batted .565 while posting a 21-1 record and a 0.98 earned run average in leading the Huskies to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 5 championship. In fact, the four-year varsity starter won section banners each year she played at HHS, part of an historic “five-peat” by the Huskies.

Thornhill’s experiences as a high school and collegiate athlete have shaped her philosophy as an educator.

“I would say that in any team sport, you have to consider how you’re going to serve the person next to you, and behind you, and in front of you,” said Thornhill, who was a member of the MaxPreps small school all-state team. “That has carried over into my passion for teaching. What can I do for this student, and that student? Because, at the end of the day, it’s not about me. It’s never about ‘you’ when you’re part of a team. I like to think of it as leading by serving.”

Here are some other things to know about Thornhill.

Family members: Two siblings and two amazing parents. My parents have been together for 37 years. My older sister is a cardiologist in Utah, and my brother works for Pitman High School.

Educational background: I played college softball at Vanguard University in Southern California. I received my teaching credential through Teachers College of San Joaquin.

Previous teaching jobs: This will be my third year in Denair Unified School District. But my first year solo/credentialed. I worked as a substitute and a resource fill-in at Denair. Prior to that, I was a preschool teacher and then substitute teacher until I got my credential.

Subject/grades taught at Denair:  Extensive special needs teacher.

What attracted you to Denair? The amazing administration and faculty! I experienced a strong foundation of family, integrity, and support that is felt throughout every school site.

What most inspires you about teaching? Knowing that the little things are actually the big things. I love seeing my students make the kind of progress other people might overlook, and helping them become more confident, independent, and understood. At the end of the day, I want my students to leave my classroom knowing they can do hard things and that they’re more capable than they think.

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? The paperwork process.

What is a favorite teaching tool or activity? Dance parties, singing, and working through things as a group. I love creating a classroom where students and staff feel like we’re all on the same team. That connection and collaborating makes learning feel more natural and meaningful.

What do you want your students to remember? That our classroom was a place where they felt safe, included, and enjoyed being. More than anything I want them to remember they belong, they are capable, and they can do hard things.

What can parents do to support you? Open and honest communication. Tell me what’s working at home, what’s not, and anything that might help me understand and support your student better. The more we work together, the better I can show up for them.

What’s something that would surprise people about your job? People might be surprised that my job is about so much more than academics. Some of our biggest wins come from learning everyday life skills, communication, and independence.

What do you do for fun? I love any kind of outdoor activities, working out, and quality time with people I love.

One little-known fact about me is … I will turn almost anything into a song without realizing it.

SAN FRANCISCO – Denair High School kicked off its 2026 football season with a dominating 57-12 victory Saturday afternoon over host Mission at historic Kezar Stadium.

“It was a nice opening week,” said head coach Anthony Armas. “I was happy with the performance, but there’s always room for improvement. It was certainly an improvement from the scrimmage a week earlier” against Riverbank, Rio Vista, Galt, and Modesto Christian.

Located on the extreme southeastern tip of the Golden Gate Park panhandle, Kezar Stadium was once home to the San Francisco 49ers, the Oakland Raiders, and the University of San Francisco Dons, as well as the site of numerous concerts and movies.

Kezar, which seated nearly 60,000 when the 49ers left for Candlestick Park in 1970, was reconstructed in 1990 as a scaled-down, 10,000-seat version more suitable for high school use.

Now, the Coyotes can add their name to the roster of teams connected to the historic venue.

“It was an awesome experience,” said Armas, who guided the Coyotes to a 9-3 record last year and a trip to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 7 semifinals. “The weather was beautiful, the field was perfect, and I think most of the players and their parents were well aware of the stadium’s history.”

Those 49ers teams of the Kezar era featured the legendary “Million-Dollar Backfield” of quarterback Y.A. Tittle and running backs Joe Perry, Hugh McElhenny, and John Henry Johnson. Denair has its own version of a million-dollar backfield – minus the seven-figure paycheck, of course – with quarterback Derek Potter and running backs Bryce Salazar, Connor Hart, and John Wilmoth.

Hart carried the ball 11 times for 135 yards (12.3 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns, while Salazar gained 46 yards on three totes (15.3 per carry). Potter threw the ball just four times, but completed two passes, including a 40-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Harlan Brown.

Wilmoth, meanwhile, did most of his damage on the defensive side, wreaking havoc on the Bears’ first two possessions of the contest. Wilmoth recovered an errant shotgun snap and ran it in from the 2-yard line for a touchdown, then intercepted a pass on Mission’s ensuing possession, helping DHS take control early.

Junior Philip Brigham, a student manager for the varsity squad as a freshman, scored the first touchdown of his varsity career.

“He’s come a long way,” said Armas. “It was great to see him get into the end zone.”

The game’s fourth quarter was played with a running clock.

The Coyotes will see action again this Friday night when they make their home debut at Jack W. Lytton Stadium against South Madera High (1-1) of the Central Section, which started its season a week before the SJS. The Stallions fell to Orosi 35-3 in their opener but bounced back last week to beat Parlier 39-0.

The Denair and South Madera campuses are located about 60 miles apart.

Denair Unified School District is seeking community members interested in serving on the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC). The committee provides independent oversight of the District’s Measure K and Measure Z school facilities bond programs and helps ensure bond proceeds are used for voter-approved purposes.

The District currently has openings for:

Business Organization Representative
Parent/Guardian of a District Student
Parent/Guardian active in a PTA or School Site Council
Taxpayer Organization Representative

This is a great opportunity for community members to learn more about District facility projects and help support transparency and accountability in the use of local bond funds.

Interested in serving? Review the CBOC Bylaws and complete the CBOC application available on the District website. Applications will continue to be accepted until all vacancies are filled.

For questions, please contact Daisy Swearingen dswearingen@dusd.k12.ca.us.