Ceres High’s boys water polo program exacted revenge with a thrilling 10-7 win against crosstown-rival Central Valley on Senior Day last Wednesday.

The Bulldogs snapped a four-match losing streak versus the Hawks dating back to the 2024 season.

“Everyone is happy,” Ceres High senior goalkeeper Jesus Sanchez said. “We finally beat them. It’s pretty special. It was a really close game. The energy was high. We wanted to win.”

“They wanted it more,” Central Valley junior field player Ari Luman said.

The Bulldogs improved to 8-8 overall and climbed to fourth-place in the Western Athletic Conference (6-6).

The Hawks dropped to 5-10 on the season and sixth place in the WAC standings (4-8).

Ceres High lost by one goal, 16-15, at Central Valley on Sept. 29.

Bulldog junior Jaxon Merrill nearly forced overtime as he fired a potential, game-tying shot off the post in the final 15 seconds.

“They played better this time,” Luman said.

“It was a team win,” Ceres High head coach Sebastian Huerta-Alvarado said. “The kids stepped up. They worked hard. They earned it. Everybody played their role. I knew it was going to be a dogfight.”

Sanchez, Merrill, Lorenzo Gradilla, Landyn Harden, David Nieto, Julian Tamayo and Elijah Rodriguez helped the Bulldogs improved their all-time head-to-head record to 2-4 versus the Hawks.

Ceres High bested Central Valley 14-8 during their first-ever matchup in 2024.

Sanchez totaled 13 blocks while making his first-ever start at goalie this past week.

He usually plays in the field.

“He found an extra gear,” Huerta-Alvarado said. “He played a near-perfect game. He did everything that was asked and more.”

“I didn’t expect to block that many shots,” Sanchez stated. “It’s my first time playing goalie. As the game went on, my confidence went up.”

Merrill scored a game-high six goals versus Central Valley.

Gradilla, Harden, Nieto and Tamayo all contributed one goal.

Merrill and Rodriguez both excelled on defense while guarding Luman, Central Valley’s leading scorer.

“We game planned for him (Luman),” Huerta-Alvarado said. “He’s a tough competitor. He’s tall. He’s very strong. He’s got a lot of power. He’s very accurate. We wanted to make him as uncomfortable as possible. I wanted the kids to play hard and physical. Ultimately, we slowed him down.”

“They played a lot more physical today,” Luman stated. “Nothing against them. It’s water polo. A lot of schools do that.”

Luman tallied a team-high three goals versus Ceres High.

He scored a match-high 12 times during the first meeting.

Ezekiel Castorena added two goals.

Israel Garcia and Jared Zepeda both scored once.

The Hawks competed shorthanded against the Bulldogs as four players were sidelined for various reasons.

“We just made a lot of mistakes,” Luman said. “I didn’t play very good.”

The two teams battled to a 4-4 tie in the opening half.

Sanchez totaled six saves.

“Without him, it’s a different game,” Huerta-Alvarado said. “I give their goalie (Sunny Breshears) props, too.”

Ceres High outscored Central Valley 6-3 after intermission as four different players contributed goals.

“We made the right plays on offense and defense,” Huerta-Alvarado stated. “We made them play at our pace.”

Huerta-Alvarado recognized seven Bulldog senior players before their final home match, including Rodriguez, Sanchez, Gradilla, Kolos Arvai, Jose Gomez Hernandez, Julian Hernandez and Rowan Ramirez.

“For the seniors, it was the last chance to play their rivals,” Huerta-Alvarado said. “We really wanted to win. They did, too.”

“It’s pretty special,” Sanchez added. “It’s my last home game. I’m happy. Previous years, we haven’t beaten them. We finally beat them.”

Rodriguez, Sanchez, Hernandez and Ramirez are four-year contributors.

Gradilla suited up for the team for three seasons.

“They’re the foundation of the program,” Huerta-Alvarado said. “Without them, there wouldn’t be a team. They’re tough guys. They’re smart. They’ve learned and adapted. It took time. They’re more confident this year.”

Arvai, a first-year competitor, is a foreign-exchange student from Hungary.

Ceres High has experienced a major turnaround this season.

“We’re a competitive team now,” Huerta-Alvarado said. “It’s a testament to the kids. They wanted to win. They wanted to prove they were good. They worked hard.”

The Bulldogs snapped a four-match losing streak against the Hawks.

“It’s special for the kids,” Huerta-Alvarado said. “Some of them have never beaten Central Valley. We’ll see how next year goes.”

“It’s really cool we have a rival,” Luman stated. “It’s something other schools don’t have. It’s really fun when you win.”

Ceres High struggled to a 2-13 overall record and sixth-place finish in the WAC (2-12) in 2025.

“The teaching didn’t change,” Huerta-Alvarado said. “The kids want to win. They play the games. I just yell at them.”

The Bulldogs remained in the hunt for a playoff berth until the final two weeks of the WAC campaign.

“I’m proud of the season,” Huerta-Alvarado said. “These kids exceeded the expectations I set for them. The team grew in terms of skill and love for the game.”

Livingston (17-7, 11-0), Beyer (18-7, 10-1) and Pacheco (16-4, 9-3) will represent the WAC in the playoffs.

“We were knocking on the door,” Huerta-Alvarado said. “We were right there.”