All-purpose standout Moses Ghiorso filled a major role while leading Central Valley High School's football team to record heights under head coach Scott Edwards' guidance. Chris Lubinsky put up monster numbers during his first season with Ceres High's football team. Peyton Jones and Claudia Martinez had success in girls cross country and girls tennis, respectively. Third-year leader Kelly Heese and Central Valley's volleyball team experienced unprecedented growth.
The 2015 fall sports season was filled with many highlights.
Now is the perfect time to recollect and celebrate.
Top male athlete: Moses Ghiorso did just about everything for Central Valley High School's varsity football team this fall. The senior racked up 2,639 all-purpose yards and 25 touchdowns. Ghiorso rushed for 1,515 yards and 21 TDs. He averaged 11 yards per carry and fumbled just once. Moses also caught 27 passes for 411 yards and two TDs. Ghiorso was one of the most versatile players in the Stanislaus District and the top running back in the Western Athletic Conference.
Top female athlete: Central Valley High School varsity girls golf star Janita Vongphoumy was named Western Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year. The senior placed first at the WAC year-end and mid-season tournaments during both of her seasons with the Hawks. This year, Vongphoumy won the title at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV Championships. She qualified for the Masters event her senior and junior years.
Male newcomer: Chris Lubinsky had a memorable first season with Ceres High's varsity football team. The junior was one of the best quarterbacks in the Stanislaus District. Lubinsky totaled 2,677 yards and 26 touchdowns with just eight interceptions while completing 65 percent of his pass attempts. He ranked first in the Western Athletic Conference in touchdowns, yards and completion percentage.
Female newcomer: Freshman Peyton Jones (Ceres High varsity girls cross country) and Junior Claudia Martinez (Central Valley varsity girls tennis) both had stellar seasons for their respective teams. Martinez compiled a perfect 11-0 record in Western Athletic Conference play at No. 6 singles. Claudia, who took last season off, contributed at doubles her freshman year. Martinez teamed up with Chelsea Flores while finishing in second place at the 2015 Western Athletic Conference Doubles Championships They represented Central Valley at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-II Tournament. Jones turned in a season-best performance when she finished in fifth place with a time of 22 minutes, 31 seconds on the 3-mile course at Ceres River Bluff Regional Park during the WAC Finals. Peyton helped lead the Bulldogs to a runner-up finish at the conference's year-end meet and 11th-place showing at the Division-III competition.
Coach: Head coach Scott Edwards pushed all the right buttons as he led Central Valley's varsity football team to a program-best 7-4 overall record and runner-up finish in the Western Athletic Conference standings (5-1). The Hawks also secured their second-ever Sac-Joaquin Section playoff berth after falling one win short during Edwards' first year at the helm in 2014.
Team: Central Valley's varsity volleyball squad posted a program-best 15-4 overall record and beat four-time defending WAC-champion Los Banos twice on its way to finishing second in Western Athletic Conference (10-3). The Hawks advanced to the postseason for the second year in a row.
Game: Central Valley's varsity football team topped 2014 Western Athletic Conference-champion Los Banos 42-21 at home. The Hawks outscored the Tigers 28-7 in the opening half. Scott Edwards, Central Valley's second-year head coach, got doused with water after the playoff-berth clinching victory.
Individual performance: Moses Ghiorso put up video-game numbers during Central Valley's rout of Los Banos in varsity football. Ghiorso ran for 224 yards and four touchdowns on just 10 carries. He also caught two passes for 19 yards and one score.
Honorable mention: Central Valley's Julia Ramsey (volleyball), Ellysa Widas (volleyball), Teresa Diaz (girls tennis), Jadah Jackson (girls tennis), Andres Rojo (cross country), Jamarea Lumpkin (football), Frankie Ramirez (football), Noah Postley (football), Erik Mejia (football), Emani Anitelea (football) and Estevan Barragan (football), and Ceres High's Austin Stiles (football), Seth Gibson (football), Joshua Madariaga (boys cross country), Jennifer Cisneros (girls cross country), Stephanie Garcia (girls tennis), Jessica Arreola (volleyball), Abigail Nou (girls golf), Julia Pata (girls water polo), Tim Campbell (boys water polo), Adrian Covarrubias (boys soccer), Juan Castillo (boys soccer) and Adrian Espinoza (boys soccer).
