Ceres High School’s varsity swim program competed against crosstown-rival Central Valley during the final week of the Western Athletic Conference regular season.

The Bulldogs secured a split while battling the Hawks in front of a large crowd on Senior Night on April 17.

“It was really exciting to see how much more energy there was at the meet,” Ceres High first-year head coach Tanner Clayton said. “We probably had four times more spectators than our previous dual meets.”

Ceres High’s boys team earned a 78-58 victory versus Central Valley.

“Our boys have had a lot of good practices,” Clayton said. “They’ve been very consistent with their attendance.”

Lorenzo Gradilla, Jesus Sanchez, Jose Carranza, Zalan Arvai, Jaxon Merrill, Daniel Tubera, Rowan Ramirez, Jose Gomez Hernandez and Elijah Rodriguez led the Bulldogs.

Ceres High’s 400-free relay team of Gradilla, Sanchez, Carranza and Arvai took first.

Ceres High’s 200-free relay team of Arvai, Merrill, Sanchez and Carranza took first.

Gradilla took first in the 200 free and 500 free.

Carranza took first in the 100 fly.

Ceres High’s 200-medley relay team of Merrill, Arvai, Carranza and Sanchez took second.

Arvai took second in the 200 IM.

Sanchez took second in the 50 free.

Merrill took second in the 100 back and third in the 200 IM.

Tubera took second in the 100 breast and fourth in the 200 IM.

Ramirez took second in the 100 fly and fifth in the 100 free.

Ceres High’s 200-free relay team of Gomez Hernandez, Tubera, Rodriguez and Gradilla took third.

Ceres High’s 200-medley relay team of Rodriguez, Gomez Hernandez, Ramirez and Tubera took third.

Gomez Hernandez took third in the 100 breast and fourth in the 100 free.

Rodriguez took third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free.

Zach Esparza, Ari Luman, Julian Bustillos, Sunny Breshears and Niels Rodriguez led the Hawks.

Esparza took first in the 200 IM and 100 back.

Luman took first in the 50 free and 100 breast.

Bustillos took first in the 100 free and third in the 50 free.

Breshears took second in the 200 free and 100 free.

Rodriguez took second in the 500 free and fifth in the 50 free.

Hurt by disqualification in the 200 free relay, Ceres High’s girls suffered an 88-67 loss versus Central Valley.

“That put us at a disadvantage. No discredit to Central Valley. Their swimmers are very strong.”

Layla Abraham, Jaden Stahl, Eva Onsurez Lopez, Jessie Blevins, Heaven Vasquez, Mariana Cortez, Megan Sather, Alana Inahara, Andrea Lopez, Lisbeth Sandoval and Genesis Raya led the Bulldogs.

Ceres High’s 400-free relay team of Abraham, Stahl, Onsurez Lopez and Blevins took first.

Blevins took first in the 200 free and 500 free.

Ceres High’s 200-free relay team of Vasquez, Cortez, Sather and Onsurez Lopez took second.

Ceres High’s 200-medley relay team of Abraham, Inahara, Vasquez and Onsurez Lopez took second.

Stahl took second in the 200 free and 500 free.

Inahara took second in the 50 free and 100 breast.

Abraham took second in the 100 back. 

Lopez took second in the 100 fly and fifth in the 100 back.

Cortez took second in the 100 free and sixth in the 100 back.

Ceres High’s 400-free relay team of Sandoval, Raya, Lopez and Vasquez took third.

Sather took third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free.

Raya took fourth in the 200 free and fifth in the 100 breast.

Sandoval took sixth in the 100 free.

Zhaira Brar, Joellene Roton, Andrea Alcantar Alvarado, Brianna Barraza, Alaney Gonzalez, Maddy Daniels, Natalie Southavongsa, Mikayla Young, Mia Mendoza, Alexa Sedano and Bianey Martinez Zepeda led the Hawks.

Brar took first in the 200 IM and 100 breast.

Roton took first in the 100 back and third in the 200 free.

Alcantar Alvarado took first in the 100 free and third in the 50 free.

Barraza took first in the 50 free and third in the 100 breast.

Gonzalez took first in the 100 fly and fifth in the 50 free.

Daniels took second in the 200 IM and fourth in the 100 back.

Southavongsa took third in the 500 free and 100 back.

Young took fourth in the 100 free.

Mendoza took fourth in the 100 breast.

Sedano took fifth in the 200 free.

Martinez Zepeda took fifth in the 100 free.

Central Valley outscored Ceres High 36-24 during the final four events.

“We thought we had a chance at making the meet extremely competitive,” Clayton said. 

Ceres High’s (3-4) and Central Valley’s (2-5) boys teams placed fifth and sixth, respectively in the WAC dual standings.

Central Valley’s (4-3) and Ceres High’s (1-6) girls finished fourth and seventh, respectively.

“We had high expectations for both sides this year. A lot of growth happened during the course of the season.”

Ceres High’s girls swim program will lose six members to graduation in June, including Inahara, Onsurez-Lopez, Sandoval, Sather, Stahl and Ava Montesdeoca.

Zalan Arvai, a senior standout on Ceres High’s boys swim team, will return to Hungary.

“They all brought positive attitudes and energy to the team. They were very good role models for the younger swimmers.”