Erik Davis to take over Centennial boys volleyball program

Former Mojave coach Erik Davis confirmed Wednesday that he will take over the Centennial boys volleyball program next season.

Davis will take over head coaching duties from his former high school coach and mentor Scott Nelson.

“It was more about pushing myself as a coach,” said Davis, who led the Rattlers to the last three Division I-A state titles. “I believe great coaches continue challenging their athletes and pushing their own limits. It just felt like an appropriate time.

“I’m looking forward to bringing my system over there and having success.”

Davis went 96-20 overall (.828 winning percentage) in four seasons with Mojave, including a 32-0 record in Division I-A Sunset League play.

“I’m most proud of being able to build and cultivate such strong relationships with the administration and the kids,” Davis said. “It really felt like a family. We had a great deal of success, obviously, but the relationships to me were more important than the three championships.”

The Rattlers went 33-5 this past season and swept Sierra Vista in the I-A state title match.

Mojave also was the state runner-up in Davis’ first season in 2013.

Centennial will compete in the Class 4A Northwest League next season and face the likes of Arbor View, Faith Lutheran, Palo Verde and Shadow Ridge.

This, in part, was a reason Davis wanted to take the job.

“To be honest, I’m a competitor at my core. It’s who I am,” Davis said. “When the district realigned and so many powerhouse schools fell into that decision, the competitive side of me yearned to be in that division.”

Centennial, which earned the Northwest League’s No. 3 seed in the playoffs this past season, lost to Sunset Region champ Arbor View in the region semifinals. The Bulldogs last won state in 2003, and were state runners-up in 2007 and 2008.

Nelson, who coached Davis at Bonanza in the mid-1990s, spent 10 seasons at Centennial. He chose to step down from his position, according to Davis, to watch his graduated son, Grant, play volleyball at Cal Lutheran next season.

A replacement at Mojave has yet to be announced.