Ceres High’s track and field program will be sending five individuals and one relay team to the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Meet this week in Folsom.

Mariah Zamora, Reis Smith, Joseluis Arreola, Nathaniel Macias, Tre Karriem, David Rodriguez-Ochoa Alex Vas Dinis, Sergio Torres and Cashton Almeida qualified for Masters after finishing in the top six at the combined Division IV-V Championships last week at Riverbank High School. 

Ceres High’s boys posted the second-best team score in Division IV.

The Bulldogs totaled 47 points.

Lathrop (71.5) won the team title.

Beyer (40) and Wheatland (40) tied for third.

“It’s the highest we’ve finished since I’ve been here,” head coach Brett Johnson said. “I’m proud of them.”

Ceres High’s boys 4x100 relay team of Smith, Arreola, Macias and Karriem placed first with a time of 43.32 seconds.

“Wheatland and Armijo beat us in the prelims,” Johnson said. “We were in third place. They (Smith, Arreola, Macias and Karriem) overcame that in the finals. It wasn’t a smooth race. We had a bad exchange. Even with that, they finished strong. It was pretty impressive.”

Rodriguez-Ochoa medaled in the 110 hurdles.

He placed second with a personal-best time of 15.27 seconds.

“He went into it focused and calm,” Johnson said. “His goal was to qualify for Masters and run his best race. He did both. His times are starting to reflect the hard work he’s putting in.”

Rodriguez-Ochoa has developed into one of Ceres High’s greatest hurdlers.

He’s benefitted from training with Jaiden Boss, who suffered a season-ending hamstring injury during the WAC regular season.

Boss and Rodriguez-Ochoa rank fifth and eighth, respectively, in the 110 hurdles in program history.

“When you’re running with somebody that’s a little bit better than you, it makes you better,” Johnson said. “It’s healthy competition.” 

Vas Dinis medaled in both the shot put and discus.

He qualified for Masters in the shot put with a personal-best toss of 47 feet, 71/4 inches. He placed third in the event.

“It was exciting to see,” Johnson said.

Vas Dinis finished fourth in the discus (137-01/2).

Torres medaled in the 800.

He placed fourth (2:00.57).

“Sergio ran a really good race,” Johnson said. 

Almeida medaled in the 400.

He set a personal record while placing fourth (51.51).

“He’s a hard-working kid,” Johnson said. “He wants to get better. He’s willing to push himself.

Zamora medaled in the girls long jump.

She soared 35 feet, 3 inches.

“It wasn’t her best jump,” Johnson said. “She made it count when she needed to.”

Ceres High’s Somil Bansal, Adrian Huesca, Calen Adams, McCoy Adams, Kyle Phongsa, Brooke Kiser, Alyssa Rodriguez, Jayden Garcia, Alanize Moreno, Savannah Weese, Sovannary Carter, Emily Esparza and Genevieve Villasenor also competed at Divisionals.

Ceres High’s boys 4x400 relay team of Bansal, Huesca, Almeida and Torres placed fifth (3:33.49).

Calen Adams placed sixth in the pole vault (11-2).

McCoy Adams placed ninth in the pole vault (10-2).

Phongsa placed 10th in the triple jump (40-6).

Ceres High’s girls 4x400 relay team of Kiser, Rodriguez, Garcia and Zamora placed ninth (4:36.91).

Garcia placed 10th in the 100 hurdles (19.03).

Moreno placed 10th in the discus (87-23/4).

Weese placed 10th in the high jump (4-4).

Carter placed 11th in the triple jump (29-61/2).

Ceres High’s girls 4x100 relay team of Kiser, Esparza, Villasenor and Zamora placed 13th (53.95).