Central Valley’s boys soccer program has accomplished just about everything.

The Hawks have won 10 conference titles and qualified for the playoffs 16 times the past 17 seasons.

Central Valley has yet to win a blue section championship banner, falling eight times in the finals.

“We’re known for winning,” said Horacio Garcia, fifth-year head coach of the Hawks. “We’re one of the top sports in our school. We’re going to work very hard to continue that excellence.”

“The kids know the responsibility of putting on the jersey,” he added. “If we’re able to make playoffs, we’re hoping to make a run to the finals.”

Central Valley has a 25-person roster.

The Hawks return nine players from a year ago, including Damyan Garcia (Sr.), Dominic Gudino (Jr.), Julian Huaracha (Jr.), Julio Paz Benitez (Jr.), Aaron Torres (Jr.), Elias Godinez (So.), Jayden Pires (So.), Jayden Rodriguez (So.) and Isaiah Ruiz (So.).  

Central Valley has 16 newcomers: Israel Guajardo (Sr.), Jayson Orque (Sr.), Mahliek Smith (Sr.), Damian Tafolla (Sr.), Willy Camarena (Jr.), Miguel Gutierrez (Jr.), Gabriel Ochoa (Jr.), Benjamin Sanchez (Jr.), Ariot Alvarez (Fr.), Josiah Armenta (So.), Yzaias Gutierrez (So.), Manuel Iniguez (So.), Pedro Venegas (So.), Jeremiah Young (So.), Salvador Estrada (Fr.) and Jose Mendoza Comparan (Fr.),

Guajardo, Orque, Smith, Tafolla, Camarena, Gutierrez, Ochoa, Sanchez, Alvarez, Armenta, Gutierrez, Iniguez, Venegas and Young were members of the Hawks’ lower-level teams this past winter. 

The Hawks lost eight players to graduation, including Anantah Sivongxay, Artemio Ortiz, Enrique Lopez, Alejandro Garcia, Tahte Yang, Alan Alvarez, Fidel Hernandez and Ivan Velasquez.

Sivongxay, Ortiz, Lopez and Garcia were named to the Western Athletic Conference First Team.

Yang earned second-team all-league honors.

“Honestly, we’re in a rebuilding year,” coach Garcia said. “We have a lot of new faces on the team. All we can do is keep working hard and play the best we can every game.”

Erick Garcia, Horacio’s younger brother, will serve as an assistant coach for the fourth year in a row.

The Garcia siblings played two seasons of soccer together at Parlier High School.

“He sees the game completely different,” Horacio Garcia said. “He gives me different ideas so our team performs better.”

Pires, Godinez and Rodriguez have been named team captains.

Pires was selected to the WAC Second Team as a freshman.

He collected eight assists and two goals as a starting midfielder.

Rodriguez had one assist freshman year.

Garcia and Gudino totaled 27 and two saves, respectively, at goalkeeper.

“I picked the captains,” coach Garcia said. “Elias and Jayden Pires have the most experience. They started as freshmen. This year, I gave them the responsibility to take on a bigger role. Based on how much Jayden Rodriguez has improved since last season, that’s why I decided to go with him as a captain. He showed he can be a leader. He’s very determined. He’s working hard to help the team.” 

The Hawks compiled an 18-7-6 overall record, placed first in the WAC standings with an 11-1-2 mark and advanced to the semifinals of the Division-I playoffs a  year ago.

Four schools from the eight-team conference qualified for playoffs, including Central Valley (18-7-6, 11-1-2), Pacheco (17-6-1, 9-4-1), Lathrop (11-9-4, 7-5-2) and Livingston (11-8-2, 7-5-2).

“Last year, we were the team to beat (in the WAC),” Horacio Garcia said. “This year, the league is wide open based on how young our team is. We’ll have a chance at winning league again if we continue to improve and play the way we can play. We’ll be very competitive.” 

The Hawks collected a pair of wins (3-1, 3-0) against the crosstown-rival/sixth-place Ceres High Bulldogs (7-11-5, 4-9-1) last season.

“The kids are excited when we play Ceres High,” coach Garcia said. “In recent years, we’ve been able to be victorious. Hopefully, we can continue our winning streak against them.”

Central Valley, which previously competed in the Central California Conference, won its second straight league title and qualified for the playoffs for the 16th time in program history last winter.

The Hawks fell one win shy of punching its ticket to the section finals for the ninth time.

“Once you get to playoffs, it’s anyone’s game,” Horacio Garcia said.