Ceres High escaped with narrow Valley Oak League dual meet victories over crosstown rival Central Valley in varsity boys and girls swimming last Thursday.
"It was so close," said Aaron Cunningham, a standout on the Bulldogs' boys team.
Ceres High's boys secured the team victory (76-70) by winning the day's final race.
The 400 free relay team of Cunningham, Zach Zamaroni, Raul Massie and Kody Fliflet topped Central Valley's quartet (Chris Lugo, Austin Roberts, Jesus Espinoza and Victor Cruz) by 12-plus seconds.
The Bulldogs had a total of eight first-place finishes, three seconds, two thirds, one fourth and one fifth against the Hawks.
Cunningham swept the 100 fly and 100 breast.
Massie won the 500 free.
Fliflet won the 200 free.
Zamaroni placed first in the 100 free and second in the 50 free.
Dylan Hines placed first in the 200 IM and second in the 100 back.
Robert Mata placed third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free.
Gianni Blandino placed third in the 200 free and fifth in the 50 free.
The 200 free relay team of Fliflet, Blandino, Mata and Zamaroni placed first.
The 200 medley relay team of Hines, Massie, Cunningham and Blandino placed second.
Lugo, Roberts, Espinoza, Cruz, A.J. Turkin, Victor Tubera, Kevin Rodriguez and Andrew Vazquez tallied points for Central Valley's boys squad.
Victor Cruz placed first in the 50 free and 100 back.
Turkin placed second in the 100 free and 100 breast.
Espinoza placed second in the 200 free and 100 fly.
Lugo placed second in the 200 IM and third in the 100 breast.
Roberts placed second in the 500 free and fourth in the 100 breast.
Victor Tubera placed third in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 free.
Rodriguez placed third in the 100 fly and sixth in the 50 free.
Vazquez placed fourth in the 100 back.
The 200 medley relay team of Tubera, Lugo, Espinoza and Cruz placed first.
The 200 medley relay team of Vazquez, Turkin, Rodriguez and Roberts placed third.
The 200 free relay team of Rodriguez, Vazquez, Tubera and Turkin placed second.
Ceres High defeated Central Valley 94-82 during the girls competition.
The dual meet was tied at 47-all after the first six events. The Bulldogs outscored the Hawks 47-35 the rest of the way.
Ceres High recorded four first-place finishes, eight seconds, five thirds, five fourths, six fifths and one sixth.
Montana Bull took first in the 100 back and second in the 200 IM.
Aimee Bautista took first in the 200 free and second in the 100 free.
Leanna McConnell took first in the 500 free and third in the 50 free.
Taylor Ross took second in the 500 free and fifth in the 200 free.
Kim Chambers took second in the 50 free and third in the 100 free.
Megan Braverman took second in the 100 fly and fourth in the 200 IM.
Tiffany Burnett took second in the 100 breast and fifth in the 200 IM.
Megan Valenzuela took third in the 200 free and 100 fly.
Maureen Serna took fourth in the 100 free and 100 back.
Gabriela Hernandez took fourth in the 50 free.
Jessica Vega took fourth in the 100 breast.
Rachel Nevarez took fifth in the 100 fly and 100 back.
Sara Aguilar took fifth in the 500 free.
Amber Adair took sixth in the 100 breast.
The 400 free relay team of Valenzuela, McConnell, Burnett and Bautista took first.
The 200 free relay team of Chambers, Bautista, Braverman and Bull took second.
The 200 medley relay team of Braverman, Bull, Burnett and Chambers took second.
Central Valley's girls had a host of contributors.
Cierra Alvear dominated the 200 IM and 100 breast.
Taylor Rogers finished first in the 50 free and 100 free.
Anna Polovin finished first in the 100 fly and third in the 100 back.
Arleigh Meek finished second in the 100 back.
Cassie Dunn finished second in the 200 free.
Tiffany Devolder finished fourth in the 200 free and fifth in the 50 free.
Kate Gaede finished third in the 200 IM.
Michaela Silber finished third in the 500 free.
Jasmine Smith finished third in the 100 breast and sixth in the 100 fly.
Felicia Surber finished fourth in the 500 free.
Stephanie Muci finished fourth in the 100 fly and sixth in the 100 back.
Melissa Amezcua finished fifth in the 100 free.
Shelby Ruskamp finished fifth in the 100 breast.
Emma Stone finished sixth in the 200 IM.
Haley Tessaro finished sixth in the 50 free.
The members of both teams showed good sportsmanship by shaking hands after each race.
Ceres Unified Superintendent Walt Hanline attended the city-rival showdown, which was contested in the rain.
"It's a friendly competition," Cunningham said. "We try to push each other to go faster. We had a lot of fun. I'm proud of everyone."
"It was so close," said Aaron Cunningham, a standout on the Bulldogs' boys team.
Ceres High's boys secured the team victory (76-70) by winning the day's final race.
The 400 free relay team of Cunningham, Zach Zamaroni, Raul Massie and Kody Fliflet topped Central Valley's quartet (Chris Lugo, Austin Roberts, Jesus Espinoza and Victor Cruz) by 12-plus seconds.
The Bulldogs had a total of eight first-place finishes, three seconds, two thirds, one fourth and one fifth against the Hawks.
Cunningham swept the 100 fly and 100 breast.
Massie won the 500 free.
Fliflet won the 200 free.
Zamaroni placed first in the 100 free and second in the 50 free.
Dylan Hines placed first in the 200 IM and second in the 100 back.
Robert Mata placed third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free.
Gianni Blandino placed third in the 200 free and fifth in the 50 free.
The 200 free relay team of Fliflet, Blandino, Mata and Zamaroni placed first.
The 200 medley relay team of Hines, Massie, Cunningham and Blandino placed second.
Lugo, Roberts, Espinoza, Cruz, A.J. Turkin, Victor Tubera, Kevin Rodriguez and Andrew Vazquez tallied points for Central Valley's boys squad.
Victor Cruz placed first in the 50 free and 100 back.
Turkin placed second in the 100 free and 100 breast.
Espinoza placed second in the 200 free and 100 fly.
Lugo placed second in the 200 IM and third in the 100 breast.
Roberts placed second in the 500 free and fourth in the 100 breast.
Victor Tubera placed third in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 free.
Rodriguez placed third in the 100 fly and sixth in the 50 free.
Vazquez placed fourth in the 100 back.
The 200 medley relay team of Tubera, Lugo, Espinoza and Cruz placed first.
The 200 medley relay team of Vazquez, Turkin, Rodriguez and Roberts placed third.
The 200 free relay team of Rodriguez, Vazquez, Tubera and Turkin placed second.
Ceres High defeated Central Valley 94-82 during the girls competition.
The dual meet was tied at 47-all after the first six events. The Bulldogs outscored the Hawks 47-35 the rest of the way.
Ceres High recorded four first-place finishes, eight seconds, five thirds, five fourths, six fifths and one sixth.
Montana Bull took first in the 100 back and second in the 200 IM.
Aimee Bautista took first in the 200 free and second in the 100 free.
Leanna McConnell took first in the 500 free and third in the 50 free.
Taylor Ross took second in the 500 free and fifth in the 200 free.
Kim Chambers took second in the 50 free and third in the 100 free.
Megan Braverman took second in the 100 fly and fourth in the 200 IM.
Tiffany Burnett took second in the 100 breast and fifth in the 200 IM.
Megan Valenzuela took third in the 200 free and 100 fly.
Maureen Serna took fourth in the 100 free and 100 back.
Gabriela Hernandez took fourth in the 50 free.
Jessica Vega took fourth in the 100 breast.
Rachel Nevarez took fifth in the 100 fly and 100 back.
Sara Aguilar took fifth in the 500 free.
Amber Adair took sixth in the 100 breast.
The 400 free relay team of Valenzuela, McConnell, Burnett and Bautista took first.
The 200 free relay team of Chambers, Bautista, Braverman and Bull took second.
The 200 medley relay team of Braverman, Bull, Burnett and Chambers took second.
Central Valley's girls had a host of contributors.
Cierra Alvear dominated the 200 IM and 100 breast.
Taylor Rogers finished first in the 50 free and 100 free.
Anna Polovin finished first in the 100 fly and third in the 100 back.
Arleigh Meek finished second in the 100 back.
Cassie Dunn finished second in the 200 free.
Tiffany Devolder finished fourth in the 200 free and fifth in the 50 free.
Kate Gaede finished third in the 200 IM.
Michaela Silber finished third in the 500 free.
Jasmine Smith finished third in the 100 breast and sixth in the 100 fly.
Felicia Surber finished fourth in the 500 free.
Stephanie Muci finished fourth in the 100 fly and sixth in the 100 back.
Melissa Amezcua finished fifth in the 100 free.
Shelby Ruskamp finished fifth in the 100 breast.
Emma Stone finished sixth in the 200 IM.
Haley Tessaro finished sixth in the 50 free.
The members of both teams showed good sportsmanship by shaking hands after each race.
Ceres Unified Superintendent Walt Hanline attended the city-rival showdown, which was contested in the rain.
"It's a friendly competition," Cunningham said. "We try to push each other to go faster. We had a lot of fun. I'm proud of everyone."